


Everlong

by Alvrexadpot



Category: Grand Theft Auto Series (Video Games), Grand Theft Auto V
Genre: Action/Adventure, Crimes & Criminals, Eventual Romance, F/M, Mild Smut, Recreational Drug Use, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-04-10 20:53:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 33
Words: 83,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4407299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alvrexadpot/pseuds/Alvrexadpot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natalie is down on her luck and is need of some quick cash.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Natalie had moved into Sandy Shores roughly 5 years ago and she never had plans on leaving. In her mind she had everything she needed, a decent home that wasn't crumbling as much as the trailers around her, a job at the Yellow Jack Inn which paid well enough, and there was always something going on, whether it was another meth bust, or a Lost groupie having a kid on the side of Zancudo Avenue.

It wasn't a paradise for her by any means, but she figured it was good enough for her to make a living until there was something better that came along. Currently, her job as a bar tender and by default a conflict resolution consular paid her just enough to live decently, bills would be paid, clothing would be bought, and every so often she could afford to treat herself to a night out. But when her car -that she suspected was built to be a lemon- decided that it had enough, the wages she was paid weren't going to cut it if she ever hoped to buy a car that would last longer than her new lawn ornament did.

But as for now, she had to deal with walking, which wasn't the best idea with the horrible heat in the day, and the danger of gang violence at night, sometimes spending the night at her work when she feared that someone might follow her. She was rarely paranoid, but unfortunately, most Sandy Shores came there often and she was well experienced in their worst sides, enough so that a night sleeping on a beer stained couch was better than walking home.

Her boss Janet often took pity on her, treating her as if she was her child, despite Janet once telling her she never wished for a child. Janet often gave her a meal in the frequent double shifts Natalie pulled and left a throw blanket out at night just in case Natalie decided to stay. Tonight was a night Nat figured her smelling like mold and Bloody Mary's in the morning would be better than her possibly ending up in a shallow grave, it was growing towards last call and the bar was still buzzing from drunken rednecks, Janet and Natalie were in tune, helping wherever they could with each other, often leaving them with time to mingle with each other and the bar goers.

Natalie could hear a low, unamused grunt come out of Janet's mouth over the low buzz of conversation around them, she glanced over to where she was looking, towards the entrance where an impressively tall, older man came in. She recognized him around Sandy Shores but never paid him much mind, he was mostly familiar by the sign near the bar that specifically said he wasn't allowed in, now the detail were hazy as to why he wasn't allowed, since she hadn't been working that night, and when Nat saw him slip a 50 across the bar top to her boss, it must not have been too serious since she tucked it into her bra and gave him a small nod in acceptance.

She saw the man turn to herself, grinning in a way that could make children cower and she were sure a lot of the trashier girls dropped their panties over. He sat himself on a stool unceremoniously, Janet having already poured him a drink and slid it over to him. She knew he frequented often before he was banned, but she mostly paid him no mind, he was one of the few that managed to hold his booze so there was no need to interfere. Before long she realised she were staring at him, thankfully he wasn't paying much mind to her, instead more focused on getting to the bottom of that glass.

Janet called out for last call, much to her dismay as everyone rushed her to get to their proper amount of inebriated before making their trek home. She smacked away a few that tried to reach for a bottle behind the counter, and a harder smack for one that grabbed for her chest, Janet coming to her defense, “Richard!” She shouted, as if chastising a child about to get their hands in something they shouldn't, she saw the man, pout, red faced from alcohol, before grabbing his glass and turning towards the den.

The place was beginning to clear out and Janet left her to close up for the night, explaining that her and her mail order husband were having their weekly conjugal that night. She told everyone to get the fuck out, only the obedient did, leaving roughly 5 men in the bar, she decided to let them be for the time being, knowing when she threatened to call the cops they would split.

As she were cleaning up spills from around the bar, a gruff voice spoke to her, “You from around here?” Natalie glanced up, noticing it was the formerly banned man, Trevor she thought it was, and upon a glance back at the 'banned' sign, it was either Trevor, Dex, or Andrew.

She nodded, tucking a few bottles away, “I've been here for a few years, I'm not far from Ammu-Nation.” She said nonchalantly, waiting for him to ask when he could come over, as so many men before did.

He only nodded in return for a long moment, before setting his drink down, “You do any other work?”

Natalie shook her head, wincing when a customer threw up what looked like everything from his stomach, luckily making it to the trash bin just in time, “No, just here.. it's a good place, Jan always pays me on time. You do any work?” She asked him, purely to be polite.

“I do imports and trading.” He said vaguely, before quickly changing the subject by outstretching his hand, “Name's Trevor.”

She took his hand, giving a firm shake, much to the satisfaction of Trevor, “Natalie.” She said with what was not entirely work enforced enthusiasm, even noticing her hand lingered a little longer on his calloused hand than what would be considered professional. She deemed it to be flirting, as crappy as it was, but blaming it on her recent dry spell in regards to sex.

Trevor didn't seem to notice her entirely too subtle attempt at flirting, but he did seem interested, doing that entire look over that many men in her past did, looking from her brunette, two toned hair and steely eyes down to her breasts, which weren't quite huge, but the perkiest the Yellow Jacket Inn had seen since hardcore drugs took over Sandy Shores. She didn't reprimand him for very obviously staring but turning away to resume her work.

Trevor smirked, slowly sliding himself off his bench and smacking a tip down onto the counter top, “Something happen to your car?”

She glanced back at him, a thick eyebrow raised, “Yeah.. it broke down, how do you know about my car?”

He shrugged nonchalantly, “Don't see it out there, you need a ride?” By the tone of his voice, his offer wasn't entirely innocent. She detected it meant something more than heavy petting was in store, and as much as the idea of sharing a bed that night was appealing to her, she didn't entirely know what he was about, having a dangerous, and rather attractive glint in his eye, but dangerous enough to be wary.

Nat shook her head, “No, I'm good.. thanks though.” She said easily, not mentioning that she planned on sleeping here that night.

He nodded, not seeming bothered about his denied request, her suspecting he could easily call a girl to warm his bed. He gave her a lazy salute before sauntering out of the bar, her unable to help but check out the finely worked muscles in his arms as he left.

She cleared out the rest of the patrons after that, cleaning up after them, a job she was used to before, clicking off the radio that had Johnny Cash crooning out of it, before settling herself on the bar's couch.  
Natalie let her thoughts take over, wondering how she was going to be able to afford a new car and ensure some of her safety, wondering if it was worth it to secure a job at the local convenience stop, despite its frequent break ins.

She sighed to herself, tucking her anxieties away for another day. Finally, letting her eyes close, trying to ignore the smell wafting through the couch as she drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trevor just might have something to help Natalie out

Chapter 2

She noticed after a few days Trevor hadn't come around again, she spoke to Janet about it who found it odd that he seemed to be MIA. His presence was palpable to anyone around him, so it did invite a couple of whispers around town to where he might be, most suspected he found his way into a grave.

Natalie didn't necessarily care that he was gone, but finding it strange if he truly did die. In the short times she had seen him, Trevor looked like one of two things; either near death or close to bringing death. Usually it was bringing it, which often left people to give him his space.

Meanwhile Nat had been trying for jobs all around, but it just wasn't working out, the positions were either filled, or the area was too dangerous, or the boss was just a downright creep and she'd much rather go without a car than let them know where she lived. She even vaguely considered moving back with her parents for a bit up in Paleto Bay, but she knew if she went back she could very well be stuck up there indefinitely.

So she just pressed on, sitting in her trailer, trying to beat the heat as summer began creeping in, working through her laptop and going through various sites with the intent to be some sort of survey taker, it was poor money and after a long period of frustration she found it was just a scam, and with a exasperated sigh she shoved her laptop to the side and called into work to see if she could come in.

Janet luckily had some work for her so Natalie made the trip to her place of work, wearing as little as she could without being stared and, carrying a large bottle of water she firmly held on her neck to cool herself off. She thankfully made it to The Yellow Jack and immediately went behind to bar to help out Jan with an usually busy lunch hour. Natalie usually liked her job, the people her interesting and her boss was nice, but today wasn't one of those days. All the customers were too drunk for her liking, Natalie having to fight tooth and nail to get everyone else to behave themselves, which they rarely did with such a young, pretty girl. It wasn't until Janet decided to but in when everyone was properly chastised and sent on their way with their pockets a little emptier and their livers a little more damaged.

It wasn't long after the rush died down that Natalie begged for a break that she was given. She sat just outside the bar with a pack of cigarettes clutched in her hand. She rarely smoked, but when she was this stressed it was only natural for her to take comfort in a vice, something anyone in Sandy Shores was all too used to. The heat was still bothering her, but the taste of nicotine and the smell of fresh air was worth it, she was almost glad there was no wind today, so she didn't have to smell of rotting fish that the Alamo Sea often produced.

She laid back against the concrete patio, letting herself relax for a second that was too short lived for her liking when she heard what was undeniably Trevor's massive Bodhi, her able to tell from the engine roaring near or the deafening sound of Channel X. It was a wonder he could even hear, she thought to herself. She slowly heaved herself up when the engine cut not far from her to greet him.

She looked him over, in his normal attire of fading jean and his dingy off-white tee, thought looking a little rough. She took the cigarette out of her lips, pointing to a small trail of blood near the neckline of his shirt, “Is that yours?” Natalie inquired while grabbing the hair tie from her wrist and putting her hair up to help cool her off better.

He glanced down, aparently only noticing the stain just then, “Er, no.” He mused, before shaking his head, “You're looking for a job right?” He said immediately after, her realising he perhaps came here other than to get shit faced.

She looked him over, lingering a little longer on his biceps like she's done before, “Yeah... why?” Was he offering her a job? She was tempted, but she knew it would most likely be illegal.

Trevor shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets, “I might have some work for you.” He said simply, too vague for her liking.

She sighed, ashing her cigarette on the ground, and slowly getting up, her back popping a few times from the stress “And what would this work require?”

“I would just need you to hide some things for me for awhile.” He said simply, Natalie not convinced.

“And what would those things be?” She raised a brow and crossed her arms, noticing that Trevor gave a not so subtle glance at her chest.

“Nothing you need to know about to keep it safe.” He said shortly, Nat wasn't sure why he seemed impatient, her caution was justifiable, but then again he didn't seem all too reasonable, “If you don't fuck with it, and no one else takes it, then I'll pay you by the end of the week.” He didn't sound like he was going to go further, just looking for a yes or a no.

Natalie frowned, looking at him for a long moment, weighing up the pros and cons before nodding her head, “Alright, fine, sure.” She finally conceded. She had no criminal record, so there was no reason why the cops would be knocking on her door, and any cash was good enough.

He made a grunt in triumph, clapping his hands together, “Great! I'll get Ron to send some stuff your way tomorrow.”

She frowned, her brows furrowing, “Ron?”

He nodded again, already turning back to his truck, “Yeah, Ron, you'll know him when you see him.”

Before Natalie could muster out some form of thanks or anything, T was already pulling out and heading down the stretch of dusty road. She was suddenly met with doubt, wondering if risking what could very well be jail time for a little extra money. But no turning back now, she had a hidden urge to prove she was capable to Trevor, though she couldn't quite figure out why. Even then, he didn't look like a guy who took kindly to anyone who chickened out.

Janet caught her attention from the bar's front door, “Hey, kid, you gonna sit here all day? We need you to pick up some ice for us.”

Natalie sighed and nodded, giving her a small wave before taking the long trek down to the convenience store, hoping the ice wouldn't melt all the wall in between trips.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie gets to work

Chapter 3

Natalie was anxious to say the least, she had cleaned up her trailer a bit to make herself seem somewhat professional and serious about her new 'job', despite the whole nature of the job being rather unprofessional.

She hadn't given Trevor her address but by noon two men came in with several cardboard boxes, she decided not to ask how they found her. One guy she recognized from the radio and by word of mouth as Ron, he looked just how he sounded; skittish, aging and a bit off mentally, the other being a guy around her age who called himself Wade, who was attractive to her in his own way, but his intelligence -or lack thereof- was definitely off-putting.

Wade and Ron packed four boxes total into her closet, all of which looked like they carried a large amount of weight. She was curious as to what was in them, but having very little drive to actually investigate. Curiosity killing the cat and all, and Trevor looked like the kind of guy who killed plenty of cats.

When they were finished unloading, Ron gave her a run through of what her job description was, only giving her the bare essentials of the job, which was to never let herself or anyone else touch the boxes unless it was Ron, Trevor or a guy named Chef; just to keep them safe and hidden until they were needed. She figured it was easy enough, promising to do as she was told and was given both Trevor's and Ron's number if there was any sort of mishap or someone suspicious started poking around her trailer. She was promised payment by the end of the week, the amount being vague, but she trusted them enough not to screw her over, or at least hoped they wouldn't.

After the general run through of her duties, Natalie was left to her own devices. She gave a look over to her now firmly locked up closet, the key to it was with Ron for his own peace of mind, not that he seemed to be a guy who found much peace with how paranoid he always was. She wasn't told how long she would be keeping whatever they were stashing in her house, or even if she was going to be doing this more than once, but she wasn't one to complain when money was on the table and the work seemed easy enough.

–

Natalie had work a few days after, which she considered taking off since The Yellow Jack's air conditioning was busted until a repairman could come in the next day. Luckily Janet had stocked up heavily on fans for such an occasion so when Natalie entered the front doors to man the bar for the rest of the night, she could hear the steady hum of fans mixing with the sound of customers who decided to do a little early drinking before there was a larger crowd.

The bar was fairly quiet that day, as it usually was in the middle of the week the loudest sound to come out of anyone was the occasional cough from the one's who had been smoking since before Natalie was even born. The bar was still hot despite what she counted as 10 fans total, but with a fan blasting only a foot away from her face and a freezer full of ice at the ready she felt she could handle being the only one working the night shift.

She had pulled up a stool for herself behind the bar, lazily topping off people's drinks when they were running a little low and listening to whoever decided to talk to her. She never really talked about herself, not that she wanted to remain secretive, but her job as a bartender was to act as a cheap therapist; lending an ear when a guy wanted to talk about his bitch ex-wife who took all his 'honestly' earned money or a woman was just so tired of her man coming home higher than a kite and with a bad attitude.

She heard a small bell jingle that let her know someone had entered The Yellow Jack, pleasantly surprised to see her new boss Trevor come through the entrance. He took up an empty bar stool in front of her, giving a grin Natalie could only imagine was shared by predators. He wore a shirt that was in need of cleaning, not that she looked like the picture of hygiene, the heat causing sweat to stain the pits of her faded Pißwasser tank top.

She gave him a quick look over so that it wasn't obvious that she was checking him out, he was more liberal in his staring, not hiding the fact that he was looking right at the top of her exposed cleavage as she spoke, “Can I get you anything?”

Trevor dragged his gaze away from her chest to properly look at her, shaking his head casually “No, was wondering how business was going.” He said simply, his arms lazily resting over each other on the wooden bar top.

She could tell his interest wasn't in the bar, instead whatever cargo he was keeping hidden over at her place, “Everything's fine, no problems.” She spoke enthusiastically while topping off another drink to an already drunk customer, “Well actually...”

“What?” He snapped, suddenly looking and sounding impatient.

She sighed, speaking casually “Well, it looks like those biker guys over in Stab City have been coming around Ammu-nation a lot more often, they usually hang by near my trailer, I don't know, figured you'd like to know”

It wasn't something she seemed to worried about, The Lost MC itself was a dangerous and unhinged gang, but you were fairly safe if you didn't try to piss them off or stayed out of their way when they decided to get tipsy or smoke up, so Natalie never gave them much of a reason to harm her. Still, that left Trevor tense, his mood noticeably dropping suddenly which left the younger girl confused at the sudden change in attitude, being unaware of the tensions between Trevor and the MC.

He didn't explain his sudden homicidal urge, simply getting up quickly from his seat and storming right back out of the aging bar, leaving a few patrons to glance over at the door when he left. Natalie frowned at that, suddenly feeling a lot less safe about working with Trevor and having the Lost hanging around than she was before.

–

By the end of the week she was given the money she was promised by Ron, a good $500 now tucked into her pocket and lifting some of the weight off her shoulders. The boxes remained where they were, Ron explaining they would probably be needed sometime soon, but her services would still be needed after for future packages that needed securing. She sent way a silent thanks to whatever stroke of luck was letting her earn cash so quickly, then giving a real thanks to Ron for the opportunity before he left and went on his way to whatever it was he did between radio shows and serving Trevor.

She noticed even after her short conversation with her new boss The Lost were still hanging around, Natalie's only complaint being the noise pollution. They were a rowdy crowd to say the least, and being around guns certainly didn't help when impassioned, drunken meth heads decided to party. But she decided the occasional annoyance wasn't something to get her too annoyed, so she let them be a stuck to minding her own business.

On a particularly chilly night she had off Nat spent the night watching an old black and white movie about some serial killer, a cold beer in one of her hands and the tv remote loosely held in the other enjoying the quietness of her own company.

She wasn't someone who had many friends in her life, she mostly kept to herself, never one that needed much comfort that didn't come from a cigarette or the bottom of a beer, her only sources of human interaction was the long hours at the bar or the times she chose to share a bed with someone. Her closest -and really only- friends being Janet and an old girlfriend from when she still lived in Paleto Bay years ago. She didn't mind keeping such a small circle of companions, she had dreams of eventually traveling the world, ideally moving around so often there wasn't a place she called home, so keeping to herself seemed to be a best option she chose for herself.

She jolted upright from her couch when she heard the unmistakable sounds of gunfire not far from her trailer. Gunfire wasn't unheard of in Blaine County, almost everyone living here had a strong belief in their 2nd Amendment right and always left home carrying something in their waistband or bag, but automatic weapons weren't often heard piercing through the night's silence, especially when there seemed to be more than a few going off at once.

She found herself slowly creeping towards the window to see where the noise was coming from, peaking through the small space between her blinds to find the commotion was a few blocks away over by the local convenience store, way too close for her liking. She had a sinking feeling perhaps her boss Trevor was to blame for this, it was commonly known the Trevor Philip's residence never stayed quiet for long, and guns were often the source of the breach in peace. She went over to her front door, locking it tight and checking the clock to see how long it would take before the police decided to intervene.

Within minutes the gunfire sounded like it was giving her closer, which left Natalie wound up tight and trying to find a spot that would most likely protect her from a stray bullet if the firefight happened to land on her front lawn She sat herself on the cold tile of her bathroom floor, her hand clutching so tightly to her cell phone, her knuckles were white, her breathing was heavy and shallow despite how hard she tried to calm herself down.

   
Her heart skipped a beat and dropped straight down from her chest when she heard her front door's lock break and the door nearly thrown off its hinges. She let out a shrill scream as someone she recognized as a Lost MC came barging through the door and into the bathroom where she hid. His eyes were bloodshot from meth and adrenaline staring directly at her and reaching towards her, “Come here you little bitch.” He threatened.

She kicked her feet out to shove him back but missed, with one hand he reached down and gripped tightly into his hair, she made a pained cry as she was forced to her feet by her hair, she twisted, trying to get a good hit in, but any punch she threw barely even caused him to flinched. He jerked her back out of the trailer, Natalie stumbling along the way, screaming a string of obscenities and death threats his way, but was effectively shut up when her back was pressed against his front and the butt of his gun was jammed against her throat.

She wasn't pulled along far, being shoved into the back of a bullet hole ridden MC van that was parked right in front of her trailer. Another Lost member was waiting for her inside, replacing the fist in her hair with his own, dragging all of her inside and slamming her face first into the floor of the van. Black stars burst into her vision as blood-shot from her nose and the pain pulsed through her weakening body. She could just barely hear the van's doors being shut behind her and those bastard MC cackling and shouting orders as the last remnants of her consciousness died just as her head was bashed into the floor once more.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Natalie was sure she was going to die.

She woke up to her head throbbing so hard she was sure her brain was going to launch itself right through her skull. She found herself sitting in an old, rusting lawn chair with her arms twisted uncomfortably behind her back and tied together with rope that was rubbing her wrists raw. She was in someone's living room, the smell of old cigarettes and body odor along with the general look of the room was almost nauseating. She looked over to a window layered with a film of grime, telling her it was around mid-day when she woke up. Whoever was holding her captive didn't bother putting the AC on, so her whole body had a layer of thick sweat caked onto her skin that only made her feel all the more like death. If the plan in this was to cook her to death, she felt she was halfway through being well done.

She tried pulling against the rope in an attempt to break free, but her weakened state only made the rope cut deeper into the sores developing on her wrists to the point that the brunette was sure she was bleeding. She wondered briefly how long she had been out, but there wasn't any hint to tell her whether or not she had only been knocked out for a few hours or even a few days, but by the sound of the low, pained growl in her gut that told her she needed to eat before her stomach decided to eat itself, she was sure she had been there for a while.

The tense silence was broken when a Lost member came through the door. His head was shaven much like many of the other members, his skin scabbed and sagging from the drug abuse that was so common among the gang. He gave her no time to plead for her release, grabbing the pistol that was tucked in his jean's waistband and pointing the barrel of the gun towards her, making her skin crawl. He approached her, lifting his booted foot and tipping back the chair she was sitting on far enough so she and it fell down, the back of her head smacking against the threadbare carpet beneath them, the throbbing reaching all new levels of pain as she made a pathetic yelp, hissing through her teeth as the pain settled into her skull.

“Now I'm going to say this once.” He started, his voice menacing and low as he knelt down and looked straight down at her, his pupils looking like needle points and his nostrils flaring, apparently needing to be high to get through this interrogation “Where does Trevor cook his meth?”

Her heart was punching against her ribcage, her eyes wide in fear, “I-I don't know! I don't know anything about him!” She choked out, the tough bravado she usually put on failing her as her panic was skyrocketing.

He gave a harsh, but unamused laugh, his rough, calloused hands snaking around her narrow throat, squeezing her neck threateningly with his fingertips, “You fucking work for him, how do you not know anything?” He demanded, small droplets of spit escaping his mouth and landing on her face, she winced.

The hand around her neck didn't block off her airway any, but the putrid air around her feeling like it was thinning as panic was taking over her frazzled senses, her breathing began to quicken. She wondered if there was any way she could ever make it out of this trailer alive, and even if she did sing like a bird for the people holding her here about the information she had no hopes of knowing, she wasn't sure how she could survive after ratting on Trevor, who looked like he wasn't too big a fan of betrayal.

Nat seemingly had a choice of dying; with a bad attitude the entire way and some pride, or dying a filthy snitch, and since an option to live didn't seem to exist in this, she'd be damned if she was going to go out a snitch. So she swallowed the thick lump in her throat, taking a deep breath she hoped he didn't notice, and simply glared daggers at him as her response, praying she looked a hell of lot tougher than she felt.

Judging by the look on her abuser's face -who looked rather pissed off- it was working. The few teeth still in his mouth gritting together in frustration, “Stupid bitch!” He barked at her, the hand around her neck moving away to form into a tight fist, smashing right into her jaw with a sick popping noise.

She cried out when her jaw went slack on impact, her feeling teeth crack and break away and blood pooling in her mouth. She glanced up at him, seeing a twisted smile on his face from seeing her in so much pain. She did the only thing she could, spitting the blood and teeth right back at him, a light splatter of red staining his already roughed up face. His smile dropped into a scowl, this time bringing his fist to her eye socket, she let out another pained yell at that, the muscle around her eye already feeling like it was swelling from the damage.

Someone else entered the front door, a man she recognized hanging around her trailer before, he crossed his arms and shook his head at the sight of the two, “Dammit Charlie, can you not lose your shit for a fucking hour?”

Charlie slowly stood back up, smearing her blood off his face with the back of his hand, “Bitch had it coming.” Was all he could say as he took a step away from her, the other man clearly having more authority in this.

The new guy walked to her, hauling her and the chair back up to a sitting position, alleviating the pressure of laying on her arms, “Now c'mon brother, did you even ask her if she knew where the cook site was?” He sounded like someone trying to calm a child, despite them both looking roughly the same age.

“Yes!” He defended, his agitation rising, “She won't say anything, Trevor must be paying the bitch well.” Natalie wondered in the back of her mind if this guy legitimately thought that her name was really 'bitch'.

The other guy looked to Natalie for confirmation. She only returned his gaze, her throbbing jaw setting her mouth in a hard lie.

He frowned, shaking his head, “You know you can make this easy on yourself, sweetheart. I really don't want to hurt a pretty lady any more than I have to. So just tell me, as a personal favor... where does Trevor cook?” He had a calm tone in his voice, but she knew better than to think it was anything near friendly. She noticed that he seemed less drug addled compared to the rest of his MC buddies, his physical features more worn and wrinkled from hard work in the sun than substance abuse and his attitude less erratic from sober living, but she knew better than to think he could be any less dangerous than the rest of them.

Either way, she didn't soften from her tough mentality, “I already told him what I know; I don't know anything. I just do what he tells me and I don't ask questions.” She spoke with finality, wanting this nightmare to be done and over with.

He grinned at that, his teeth yellowing, “What a good quality in a worker. Even better in a woman.” That earn a short laugh from Charlie who hung around behind him, “I admire your loyalty, Trevor hooked himself a good one, but that's just not going to work out for us.” He explained in a way that seemed scolding. His superiority complex getting on her nerves.

He stepped behind her, reaching down with a pocket knife in his hand, sawing through the rope that was keeping her tied until her hands were let loose. She wasn't given a second to escape, the man grabbing her arm and jerked her up roughly. She didn't realize how truly disoriented and weak she felt until her knees felt weak and almost buckled under her weight, but the man holding her seemed to be the one supporting her the most. She drug over to a dining table deeper in the trailer, he then forced down to her knees with her chin hitting the table top. The arm that was being held was now pressed firmly against the table, the Lost member's arm pinning her wrist down, causing the sores on her wrist to ache.

He spoke with the same calmness as before, but this time Natalie could detect a threatening note, something that made the hair's on her neck rise us, “I'll ask you one more time before I do something none of us will like, and please don't make me do it... where does Trevor Philips cook his methamphetamine?”

She had no clue what was in store after she answered, but there wasn't much time to think. She wondered if these were her last moments alive, she didn't want to die afraid, but damn it, she had no choice in this. She could hear Charlie walking closer, now directly behind her to her right. He had to be loving this, the sadistic bastard she thought. She knew she was visibly panicking by then, unable to help the threat of tears scratch away at her eyes.

She briefly thought of home in Paleto Bay, she should've been a better daughter, a better sister, maybe if she did as she was expected to do she wouldn't be held captive at the hands of a drugged up gang, waiting to die. She wondered if her family would even remember her, for their peace of mind, she hoped they didn't.

She finally squeezed her eyes shut, her entire body tense with anticipation, taking a deep breath that left her mouth shaky, before finally spoke, speaking as evenly as she could, her fear not showing “I don't know.”

Natalie heard what sounded like a knife stabbing through wood, along with something else she couldn't figure out, but there was no pain, no suffering, she wondered if she was even still alive. She poked one eye open, looking to her hand. Something was missing, and it wasn't hard for her to figure out.

Her finger.

Her pointer finger wasn't there. Pure horror drained the blood from her face. She lifted her hand up, trying to convince herself it was still there. No, just empty space and blood. Her scream of terror rang through the trailer before the shock went away and the pain set in.

The pain was something beyond what she could imagine, so horrible that all that she had dealt with through this whole ordeal couldn't even compare. It took all of her willpower not to throw up right there as tears spilled down her swelling cheeks and screams left her mouth. But there was nothing she could do when sound was fading away and her vision blurred into blackness once again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank my friend Millie for proof reading through most of my chapters

Chapter 5

Natalie tried counting the days she was stuck there in some semblance of sanity. She had counted 3 nights total. Though she often nodded off when stress and exhaustion proved too much to bear, leaving her worried she was asleep for days on end and perhaps it had been a full week or two that she had been held captive. She tried marking time passages through the meager meals the Lost would give her. But that proved useless when the meals came erratically, sometimes twice in a day, sometimes once every two days.

Her new bondage consisted of chains wrapped around her sore wrists, the other end of the chains tied to a bolted down space heater. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but much better than the rope they had used on her earlier, even allowing her the freedom to sit and lay down before sores started welling up on her body.

She looked to her hand once more, as she often did nowadays. The Lost had been courteous enough to wrap up her hand in bandages, although poorly and her finger was still gone, taken with them as some sort of sick trophy. When she had woken not long after she lost the digit, she had for a few seconds forgotten the terrible event. But when she looked to the source of her most intense pain and saw the bloody nub, she was reduced to fits of screaming for hours on end, whether is was the immeasurable amount of pain or purely despair.

Natalie soon after had been transported out of the trailer she had thought she would die in, instead to what was little more than a broom closet. There was little for her to sit there and do until her days were finished, often looking through a small window near the ceiling, that provided no means of her knowing where she was, only pointing towards the sky. She could hear she was in some kind of building the MC frequented, but she couldn't tell what. She wasted her time listening into conversations about who said what, how many people railed someone's old lady, and anything and everything in between. She deduced it was some type of clubhouse. In the distance, she could hear what had to be a busy road, so at least she wasn't far from civilization. Natalie found comfort that her body would perhaps be found.

There was only 3 men total who would come to see her, asking the same question time and time again; 'Where did Trevor cook?'. She answered with silence, too tired to fight back, but she would receive a short, strong punch to the face before being left on her own again. The frequent beatings left her right eye swollen shut. Nat was glad she didn't have a mirror in there, glad they were the only ones to see the mess done to her face.

In her times of despair, she thought of home, a place she'd been so eager to leave but now wished so dearly that she could go back. She was raised nuclear, a mom and a dad who loved each other very much and an older brother who was expecting a child with his college sweetheart. Her childhood was the American dream, but she found so painfully, depressingly boring. They were a quiet family, never making a fuss, liked among their neighbors, and did as so many planned before; get married, raise children, see their grandchildren and pass away after a long life.

Natalie never wanted that for herself. She didn't want a quiet life where she would pop out kids and die a death that wasn't memorable. She was upset that her family was happy to live quietly, that they never wanted to step out of their comfort zone. When they heard she was moving away to be some 'trailer trash' they were scandalized; their little girl wasn't content enough to be a housewife. She hadn't spoken to her parents in years, the last time she had spoken to their brother, it was obvious that they had nothing in common. They ended their phone call in a silent agreement that they wouldn't speak until one of them was dying.

Natalie lay her head down, looking at the door that was her only means of escape, but it was locked so tightly she had no hope left in it. She spent countless hours thinking of what she could do to save herself, but nothing seemed feasible, her will to live was dwindling.

There was a commotion outside, people were yelling at each other, but it happened so often it wasn't anything new to her. Despite that, she listened in to see what the issue was this time around. It sounded like a bunch of guys, they sounded angry and tense, something about an attack, but she couldn't hear much to know the specifics. She, however, could tell the fight was coming their way and some small part of her had hoped that maybe there would be a window of opportunity for her to escape her captors. Said window expanded to the door when she heard Trevor's name being spoken in anger. Her heart skipped a beat and she choked on a sob of pure eagerness, a grin stretched across her face, smiling for the first time in what seemed like eons.

There was a sudden onslaught of gunshots. It made her jump and tucked herself into a corner, her eyes locked on the door, wait for someone, anyone, to barge in. She could hear people were dying, some she was sure were the Lost, though some she feared was the team that could potentially save her life. She didn't hear the familiar gruff voice that was Trevor's, she was afraid it wasn't him after all.

She briefly wondered why Trevor would even come, she was just some small, easily replaceable pawn in the grand scheme of his business. Natalie began doubting that he was even there, Trevor being a fairly common name and all, doing what could be called a suicide mission just to protect her. She sat back, chewing her lip and almost ignoring the fight just outside. The Lost was sure to have enemies, maybe it was just a gang war. Maybe the rivaling gang would have mercy on her, any enemy of the MC was a friend of hers.

A bullet burst right through the door, almost hitting her in a place that would've surely killed her. She screamed, trying her best to hide further in the corner to avoid another bullet just as someone broke open the door. She didn't recognize him, he was a black man with a hard look on his face, his clothes were bloody, but it didn't look like he took any hits, an automatic weapon was held firmly in scraped up hands. He looked like an angel of death to her.

“Aw' shit.” He winced at her appearance, she apparently looked just as bad as she felt, he closed the door behind him, quickly stepping closer to her and kneeling down, trying to undo the chains, “Are you Natalie?”

She was shocked, her hands shaking, “Y-Yeah.. did Trevor send you?” Her wrists were let free, she looked down to find angry red blisters, some bleeding.

He nodded, helping her up, she was weak, hardly able to stand on her own, “Yeah, he called us to help out.” He noticed she was having a hard time, speaking into his earpiece, “T, I found her, but we gotta carry her out, I need back up.” He paused for a moment, listening to Trevor on the receiving end, before looking back to her, then down at her hand, it mummified in bandages, “What happened?”

She frowned softly, “They uh... cut off my finger.” Suddenly feeling self-conscious, hiding her hand behind her back

He shook his head, looking disgusted at what they did to her, speaking into his earpiece again, “Any time now guys, we gotta take her to the hospital.” A pause, “Yeah, she's awake, but she's looking rough.” He gave her a compassionate look, “Sorry.”

The door opened again to another man he didn't recognize, he looked roughly Trevor's age but much well put together, “Jesus, what'd they do to you?”

They didn't give her time to answer, the younger man wrapped her arm around her waist and scooped her up into his arms, “Alright Mikey, we gotta make this quick, you got my back?”

The well-tailored guy who was apparently Mikey nodded, and they made a dash to the front door. Natalie looked around, she was in a bar of all places, bodies littering the floors, making her feel nauseous. She caught a glimpse of Trevor before she looked away to eb away the bile rising in her throat.

When they made it out of the bar it was bright, blinding her for a few seconds before she was toted to a black SUV and tucked into the passenger's side, Michael spoke through his earpiece, “Trevor we got her out, we're taking her up to the hospital up in Paleto Bay.”

The younger man hopped into the driver's side, Michael looking like he was going to find his own transportation. She bulked herself up with fumbling hands just as they pulled away from the ruined bar. The guy beside her spoke up, “How are you feeling? I'm Franklin, by the way.”

She adjusted herself into a more comfortable position in her seat, “Like hell, but I'll live... just y'know, try to take me to the hospital sooner rather than later.”

He smiled a little, nodding, “I think I can do that.” The ride north wasn't a long one, she soon saw the quiet, suburban city that was her hometown. He spoke as they edged closer to the medical center, “I can bring you in, but I need to leave immediately after. I can't have cops trying to talk to me.”

She nodded a little, cradling her hand against her chest, “I understand.”

Franklin stopped the SUV right in front of the facility, hopping out of the car and dashing over to the passenger's side, he help her out and hauled her into the hospital, “We need some medical attention over here!” He shouted out to anyone who would listen.

A few nurses were at the ready, hurrying to the two and taking Natalie out of his arms, laying her down on a waiting gurney. She saw just as the attention was on her, Frank was already leaving, she smiled a little and giving a small wave goodbye as nurses went through rapid-fire questions.

She laid her head back, taking a deep breath and letting herself cry through a grin. She was finally free, she could finally feel safe. She never felt happier.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie receives a warm welcome since leaving the hospital

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, several issues came up  
> First, my proofreader was unable to check it over  
> Also this is the first smut chapter I've written in years, so it was incredibly hard to do.
> 
> So as you might guess, this chapter is nsfw, so read with caution and go easy on me

Chapter 6

The road to recovery was surely going to be a long one. Natalie had spent a only week being held against her will by The Lost MC, a gang that had been the bane of most of Blaine County. However, the time that would be taken to fully recover from the trauma would take lifetimes. But she had a lifetime to deal with that, so she let it be for the time being, she was more concerned about her physical wounds, which were fading away before her eyes as time progressed, which she was more than happy about.

Her finger wasn't fixable, but she knew that before she was even rescued. The mess that was her teeth was fixed however, after several painful surgeries and replacements. After what felt like ages of being poked and prodded by the medical staff, as well as frequent questioning by the Blaine County police; she was finally released. She didn't complain much during her time at the hospital however, she was allowed what she wasn't while captive; to be able to walk, to eat something actually filling, to smile and actually enjoy herself. But all of that paled in comparison to the feel of sunlight as she first stepped out the facility.

It was a hot day, not a single cloud in the sky. People of north San Andreas roamed the streets, on the way to plans they had looked forward to all week, enjoying their hot Saturday afternoon doing whatever they saw fit with whatever cash they had in their pockets. Despite the bandaging around her hand, she felt like a part of them. Someone called out her name, a girl her age she had known since high school named Rebecca. Becca was what Natalie considered her only true friend, and when Becca caught word that her friend was not only in Paleto Bay, but also in the hospital, she jumped into her car to 'break her out'.

Rebecca flagged her down excitedly, throwing her arms around Nat as she approached her and enveloping her into a bear hug, squealing with delight to see her longtime friend, completely unaware of the hell she had gone through only a short time ago. Nat convinced her the injuries she sustained was from some horrible hiking accident near Mt. Gordo; her friend had no reason to question it. Becca cupped her friend's face in her hands to get a good look at her. The swelling and bruises that had ruined her good looks were only a memory now, her soft face had returned and sharp gray eyes looked to her best friend fondly. Rebecca hadn't changed much since Natalie had last laid eyes on her a little over a year ago. She had a smile that was wide enough to wrinkle the corners of her brown eyes and teeth so white and glistening they were a sharp contrast to her dark skin and the pile of black kinky hair styled on the top of her head.

“I missed you so much!” Rebecca announced, both climbing into her bright yellow Panto. She briefly looked over to Natalie, her grin widening, “I knew those clothes would look good you.” Becca has provided her a tank top and shorts when it was very clear that Natalie's bloodied clothes weren't going to be cleaned after a few washes. Nat was thankful that the both of them shared relatively similar clothing sizes.

Natalie smiled back at her, grabbing a pair of sunglasses from the dashboard and putting them on, “So we're going to the beach?”

Rebecca nodded, turning on the radio to the current pop hit that she no doubt knew every word to, “Mhmm, a couple of my friend's wanted to meet you so they're coming along too, hope you don't mind.”

The brunette shook her head, “Nope, I'd love to meet them.” Despite her normal ideals of keeping to herself, she couldn't say no to her oldest friend, and perhaps a day out with a few people was just what she needed on her first day of freedom.

“Good!” She said eagerly, “Cause they thought you sounded so cool, especially with the missing finger. They think your a badass now.” She laughed. Becca wasn't one to dwell on bad feelings, which was exactly what Natalie wanted; their goals in life were just to have a good time and have good feelings all around, a missing body part wasn't going to stop them for what would surely be a great beach day.

The drive wasn't very long, ending up on a beach nearby Paleto where five of Rebecca's friends were waiting for them to join. They already had set up a fire pit and were helping themselves to a cooler full of beers. Both of them hopped out of the car, going to the back of the Panto and unpacking beach chairs and towels, quickly joining up with the rest of the group, who greeted the two of them with cheers and open arms.

The day turned to evening and it was everything Natalie could have wanted. Drinks and laughs were shared all around by new friends. She left with Rebecca with a grin on her face, everything was so incredible since she got out, even the simplest pleasures like building a crappy sand castle or sharing an inside joke was so wonderful and worth cherishing to her. She had a long life to live and she intended on making it a great one.

–

Rebecca dropped her off at her trailer, asking if Natalie wanted her to hang around for a little long. Natalie politely declined, saying she'd finally like to sleep in her own bed and get a feel for her house again. Rebecca understood and left soon after while Natalie turned to the home that she didn't think she'd see again.

When she opened the door everything seemed to be where she last left it. She looked at the lock on her front door and found it replaced, she wondered who got around to fixing it since the break in. She also noticed her closet had been opened and made empty, which made her wonder who was the one to grab it; the MC or Trevor.

She sat herself on her couch after disposing of a stale beer left behind and locking her front door. Natalie's nerves were beginning to eat away at her chest slowly as the lonesome silence surrounded her. She wondered if they would come back, the thought of being dragged back into their clutches made her feel almost sick. She had to get some form of protection for herself. She had been one of the incredibly few in Sandy Shores to own a gun, she never had a reason to. But with the looming threat, she couldn't think of any other way.

There was a knock on her door that nearly made her jump out of her skin. She scrambled up and grabbed a kitchen knife from the counter, concealing it behind her back. She crept to the door, looking through the peephole to find Trevor on the other side. She sighed a breath of relief before opening the door, stepping to the side to let him in.

He came inside, turning and looking her over, noticing her hand was behind her back. She sighed softly, revealing the knife she was keeping with a shrug. He eyes flicked up to hers, “Planning on using that on me?”

She shook her head, laying the knife back on the counter before sitting herself back on the couch, “No, but you can never be too safe y'know? The stuff you were keeping here is gone.”

He nodded, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the counter, speaking causally, “Yep, I figured when you got swiped you were done with this whole thing so I'm keeping them with Ron.”

She blinked, shaking her head quickly and standing right back up, “No! I mean... I still need money, especially with all the hospital bills piling up, I could still do it if you want me to.” She looked down at her bandaged hand idly.

He raised an eyebrow at her, looking surprised, “Really? You're that suicidal, huh? I guess I could, but we need to get you armed so that shit doesn't happen again.”

The thought of The Lost coming back for her made panic shoot through her body and made her stomach twist in knots, but she quickly pushed it away to continue, “I was thinking the same thing, but I need to get a permit.”

Trevor shook his head quickly, waving the idea off with his hand, “Nah, don't worry about that, I'll get you a gun.” He then grabbed the case of beer she brought in with her from off the tile floor, helping himself to one.

“Oh, okay.” Natalie didn't give herself time to think too much into it, she was sure he had the means to smuggle her a gun, hopefully he could teach her how to use it, “I uh... Thanks for saving me by the way... you don't know how grateful I am.”

He scoffed, a grin on his face, “Doesn’t sound very grateful.” He replied.

She smiled a little, “I really am, I wouldn't be alive if you didn't come and save me... I really owe you.” Natalie accidentally let a sexual undertone go through at the last part.

She had forgotten that she had even found him attractive, with everything that happened the thought of sex was the absolute last thing on her mind. So it came as a surprise to her to find sexual attraction rear its head again. Nat doubted now was the time for her to be flirting, she had to get her life back in order. But it was too late to pull back now, so she threw caution into the wind and chose to see how far this would take her.

Trevor raised an eyebrow at her, “You bounce back quick don't you?”

She shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant, “I know what I want.” She replied simply.

There was no discussion after, Trevor had quickly closed the space between the pair, Natalie finding herself pressed against the wall with the older man's hands making their way under her shirt and up her sides. Her heartbeat quickened and she looked up at him to find him looking right back down at her. She didn't waste any time to match his vigor, leaning up a little and kissing him in which he reciprocated. The kiss was heavy and needy, neither of them wanting to take things slow. Natalie's hands were against his cheeks, feeling the rough stubble against her palms.

Trevor broke the kiss when forced her shirt off her body, making a display of throwing it across her trailer, he gave a satisfied smirk to find her bra-less, a small stick-and-poke heart tattoo marked the side of her left breast that seemed to go well with two silver nipple piercings, both modifications done in her teen years. He moved his hands to cup her chest, both his thumbs running over her nipples, which she responded to with a soft, pleased sigh. His mouth came back down against hers, his hands moving to cup her ass and lifted her off the ground with little effort. Her legs and arms wrapped around him to help support her weight; she was silently grateful that she owned such a small frame.

He carried her back to her bedroom, not bothering to turn on the light as he dropped her on the bed and came down with her. He leaned down and his lips went to her neck, leaving a trail of sloppy kisses that made her body tense and her teeth bite into her bottom lip. Her hands to her back and her nails dragged against his shoulder blades, her able to feel the hard muscles from years of hard work through his shirt. He brought his knee against her crotch.

“Oh fuck.” She moaned involuntarily, feeling his grin against the soft skin of her neck, he pressed his knee against her with a little more firmness, another series of long, needy moans from her followed after.

She tipped his head up so she could kiss him again, fully aware of his growing erection nudging against her stomach. He grabbed the hem of her shorts and underwear, she lifted her hips up as he tugged them completely down, leaving her fully naked under him. He stopped a moment to look at her, she had a petite body, her skin naturally a soft tan color, a few small tattoos drunken nights we're scattered around the expanse of otherwise unblemished skin.

He was back on her again, her breathing already heavy as she tried pulling off his shirt. He slipped out of it and her hands went roaming, feeling over hard muscle and scars that surely told a thousands stories after he lifted her onto his lap and undid the button and zipper of his jeans.

“Wait, wait.” She said suddenly, pressing her hands against his chest, “I haven't been on the pill for a while.”

“Yeah?” He replied, sounding mildly irritated that she suddenly stopped him.

She sighed, speaking firmly, “If you don't have a condom you're gonna be walking back with blue balls.” He stared at her for a long moment before smiling, liking her brashness, before reaching into his back pocket and grabbing a rubber, she raised a brow, “We're you planning this?”

Trevor smirked, “I'd been wanting to fuck you since I saw you. Had to be prepared, I am a gentleman after all.”

She smiled, waiting as he slid the condom on his exposed cock. He grabbed her hips quickly and lifted her up a little before he brought her back down, thrusting deep into her. She let out a quiet groan, her eyes fluttering shut as she got used to the sensation on him being inside her, he wasn't incredibly big she noticed beforehand, but it was plenty good enough as she got the feel of his covered length inside her.

His mouth pressed against her collar-bone as he pushed up his hips to meet hers with short groans, she in turn met his energy with a roll of her own hips, her nails digging into the flesh of his back. He didn't take long to pick up quick pace. They're breath shortened and their heart raced. Natalie's moans filled her trailer, her fingers like claws against the older man's back, which brought him closer and closer to the edge. He adjusted their position pressing her back against the bed, her legs still wrapped tight against his hips.

The thrusts into his came hard and quick, hitting her so perfectly she was gone, her world silent and loud at the same time, her mind blank but rushing, her body so tight and stiff she shook while she felt that Trevor met his own release, his face contorted to an almost pained look. Their bodies were tense and all at once the tension left them, Trevor near collapsing on top of her.

It was silent between them besides the heavy breaths from their comedown. He pulled himself away from her, pulling and tying off the condom and tossing it in her small trash bin in her bedroom, adjusted his jeans back up on his hips and grabbing his shirt, not bothering to put it back on.

She didn't say goodbye, too tired to do much of anything beside watch him leave as he mentioned coming back with a shipment soon, she smiled to herself, secretly prideful to see the red marks across his back that she made.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trevor's busy day gets delayed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot, another nsfw chapter. I promise substance in the next chapter

Chapter 7

Trevor became more frequent in Natalie's life than she imagined he would be. Their relationship that had once been purely business and the occasional flirting had advanced into one that involved late nights together in her trailer. He would usually leave right after sex, always having something to do, but occasionally when he was too inebriated to make it out the front door he would sleep in bed with her until the early hours of afternoon.

Trevor probably didn't know it or he most likely wouldn't stick around, but he was a cuddler in his sleep. Nat didn't particularly mind when she felt his muscled arm wrapped around her waist in the wee hours of the morning, in fact she enjoyed the comfort he gave her. He kept her warm during the chilly nights and she felt a lot safer when he was around, even the gun he had given her, now laying on her bedside table, didn't give her the same sense of protection.

She received a handgun from him the day after they had discussed her need for one. In the two weeks she had it she practiced every day during her free time, whether it was at the shooting range just two doors down from her at the local Ammunation or out in depths of the desert to shoot down a few empty cans and bottles. In her efforts Natalie found herself to be a fairly steady shot, hitting her target slightly more than she missed. She knew with further know-how she would be able to hold her own with her gun, though she often worried if a handgun was enough to protect her if The Lost decided to stop by for another visit.

Natalie had woken up rather earlier than she was used to to find Trevor had already woken up and gotten out of bed. She found him with his back turned to her, pulling his jeans up to fit back around his hips and then buckling his belt. He heard her stir in bed, turning back around to face her, giving her his usual look over before greeting her with a; “Morning.”

She tossed the blanket off of her, stretching out her entire body in a cat like manner that was followed by a long yawn, she glanced over to him through half lidded eyes to find how intently he was watching the full view of her naked skin. A smile crept across her face and she rested her head in her hand, “Come back to bed.” She cooed, not ready to face the day just yet and also wanting to see if sober morning sex with the great Trevor Philips was just as good as -if not better than- the clumsy night sex they often had.

He didn't speak for a moment, looking like he was seriously considering it, before shaking his head no, along with shaking away any intrusive thoughts that came with the sight of his naked business partner and bed mate, “I can't, I need to be in Vespucci before noon.” He explained, pulling out a scratched up cell from from the pocket of his jeans.

She let out a long groan, falling back onto her back with her arms splayed above her head, “Do it later, I'm not done.”

Trevor smirked, his phone in his hand as he typed away to someone idly, despite the small distraction, he looked incredibly tempted to ditch his clothes once more, “You looked pretty done last night when I had to carry you back to bed.”

She smiled, shrugging a little and sitting up, knowing her current nudity was going to eventually get her what she wanted, but the brunette would rather have him sooner, so she continued, “I just had to take a power nap, I'm good now.” She reached out to him with her good hand, speaking softly “Come back to bed, Trev.”

He had only stared at her for a long moment, debating whether he actually could before he groaned, crawling back into bed and sitting in between her legs, grabbing her by her thighs and forcing her to lay again. She yelped in response, but the smile on her face only grew. He meanwhile had grabbed his phone again, glancing down at him and he scrolled through at her, “You're gonna have to tell him I'm not coming.”

“Trust me, I'll make sure you come.” She laughed at her own joke, calming back down after a moment, “Why do I have to call him? Michael?”

He pushed his phone into her hand, the number already dialed and ringing, the screen saying it was addressed to Michael, “Because-” He began, settling himself into a laying position between her legs, dragging her closer to him, “I'll be busy.”

The brunette went wide eyed, reaching down to push him away but he shoved her hand back, “Wait- no, Trevor-” She interrupted herself with a moan she tried so desperately to hide as she felt a long lick go across her most sensitive area, but came loud and clear through the receiver just as Michael picked up his phone.

There was a silent pause on the other line, no doubt Michael dumbfounded by the greeting, “...Trevor?” He finally answered, she glanced down to see her partner grinning against her skin, knowing his best friend was on the other end.

Natalie went to hang up the phone, her face red with embarrassment. The older man pulled back for a second and gave her a hard look that made her stop, “Don't.” He commanded, pulling her back against his mouth.

Her eyes rolled back into her head just as one of his fingers slipped inside of her. She bit hard onto her bottom lip to the point she made little indentations into her skin in hopes that she could suppress another moan. She saw him look back up at her again, then the phone, urging her to continue, which she did, “H-hey, uh.. M-Michael... it's Nata-” A shiver shook through her entire body when Trevor's tongue made contact with her clit. She sank farther into her bed, her free hand reaching down and gripping into his thinning hair.

“Is this a good time?” Michael sounded like he was in disbelief. Perhaps not on Trevor's part, this shenanigan was something very predictable. But the thought of a woman Mike had only ever met once being on the other line in the throws of a pleasure provided by his friend was something he hadn't planned to wake up to that day.

Natalie winced at his tone, her face a bright, cherry red by then. She looked down to see Trevor was watching her, which only made her all the more embarrassed. She moaned again when she felt another of his fingers slip inside of her, pumping in and out of her rhythmically. She spoke up again, trying so desperately to make it seem like nothing was happening, but all in vain, “Uhh.. yeah, um, Tre-Trevor is going to be a little... uh, late.”

She could head him laughing through his disbelief, “You're kidding me right? Alright, sure.” He hung up at that.

Natalie let out a large sigh in relief, tossing the phone onto the bed and covering her face to hide her humiliation. Trevor didn't stop when she hung up, but she was plenty able to feel his enjoyment on his face between her legs, “You asshole..” She groaned, running her hand through his hair only to tug him closer.

The room filled with her uninterrupted sighs and gasps of pure ecstasy as he worked his magic. Upon a momentary glance at him she noticed he was jerking himself off simply to the act of eating her out. She blushed, unable to help him as an orgasm began building within her. She rocked her hips up against his mouth, the sounds of her pleasure echoing through her home. Soon she was unable to contain herself, and she rocketed off into her own world, barely hearing or feeling when Trevor found his own release, effectively making a mess of the bedsheets.

She was panting, wiping the sweat off her brow during her comedown. She found him crawling up to her, giving a firm, sloppy kiss against the side of her neck, which she responded to with a warm, satisfied sigh. “You're fucking amazing..” She said in between heavy breaths, watching as he tucked his shaft away and laid down on his side beside her.

He closed his eyes momentarily, grinning, “Mmm, don't I know.”

She smiled, reaching for a pack of cigarettes. He didn't like the habit, but found no will to protest for the time being. “Don't you have somewhere to be?” She teased, looking for her lighter until she gave up and swiped the one from his pocket.

He rolled onto his back, looking her over for a moment, still as appreciative of her looks as ever, “No. I'm not done with you yet.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie makes another bad decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woot, longest chapter yet!!

Chapter 8

Janet was quite possibly the greatest woman Natalie and the rest of Sandy Shores had ever had the immense pleasure to experience. For a near uncountable amount of years the redhead had been the den mother and bartender to the drunken, sunburned, and weary of the barren countryside.

Her face had grown stern and harder than steel throughout the years of providing for the chronically inebriated. She had a tough look about her, and even though they residents hadn't seen her throw a punch since the 90's, they we're sure her swing could take down anyone that pushed her to the limit. Despite her don't-fuck-with-me nature, when she saw that someone truly needed it, they could hear her voice soften and even a feel a few dollars slip into their pocket when she felt life was being too hard on them.

When Natalie was hired to be a helping hand at The Yellow Jack, she found soon enough that she loved Janet well more than her own parents. Janet was the toughest woman she had ever met and she loved being close to her on her work days. Janet found comfort in Nat as well, Janet was ailed with the inability to bear children, not that she minded; she never found much of a maternal urge. But if Janet was to have a child, she would want it to be her.

When the brunette had returned from her kidnapping and the resulting hospital visit, Janet was more than willing to give her as much free time as she needed to heal her wounds. Natalie however pushed passed being coddled and went to work not long after she returned. Even though Nat and her boss didn't speak much since her return, Janet already knew something was up between her 'adoptive' daughter and Trevor. As all knowing as she seemed to be, the younger girl was pretty sure Janet had known the second she hooked up with him.

The redhead wasn't necessarily fond of the idea of a person she cared for getting close and personal with a man with a rapidly growing body count. However, she knew Natalie was stronger than she thought she was and could do what needed to be done if he ever tried to screw her over.

Natalie had no intention of leaving her legitimate job with Janet even when it turned out Trevor paid better than her salary and tips at the bar. She enjoyed her job, enjoying her boss, and the occasional free shot she would take, and she wasn't going to quit a lesser paying job when money became increasingly tighter.

She found herself behind the bar on a particularly boring day, Janet was working the same shift as her, and they talked idly to each other during a slow day. They would both be lying if they said they weren't a little drunk, both of them sneaking shots every so often when they weren't serving others. They're conversations usually came to something crude, in which Janet would quickly try to quiet it down as to not hear anyone else, in which her younger friend would be left in a fit of giggles to see her mother figure blush.

A man had come in, someone Natalie had seen before, but never thought much of. She was sure she'd seen everyone in Sandy Shores at least once so it wasn't a surprise to see him cross by. He looked young, maybe Nat's age, maybe younger. He was amazingly tall and thin, with messy, medium length, brown hair that was shaved into an undercut. She saw a scatter of tattoos along his arms, definitely a turn on for her.

He was cute, definitely, in an awkward, innocent manner. He saw her upon his arrival and gave a small, polite smile. She returned it, her buzzed state dictated he was cute enough to go home with. So as he found a seat at the bar, she poured him a drink and gave him a smile that made many a man feel weak in the knees. She knew by his gentle, nervous laugh at her flirtatious advances, she already had him hook, line, and sinker.

–

Natalie woke up in a place she hadn't been before. The sun was bright through the window beside her, far too bright for her hangover. She groaned and rolled over onto her stomach, grabbing the pillow beside her and hiding herself from the waking world. She remembered she went home with the guy from the bar, his name was Jessie, she later found out, but that was the most she could really remember. She guessed they had sex, despite him not laying beside her, her body was still naked and she had that pleasant soreness that followed a night of rough sex.

She decided after awhile she should probably leave so she heaved herself up from the mess they made of the bed, wincing at the sunlight again but this time toughing it out. She exited the bedroom to find her clothes scattered across what she presumed to be Jessie's trailer. It was plain and messy, not far off from a typical male's trailer, though she didn't mind, having seen it all before. She collected what she thought to be all of her clothes and put them on, finding her shoes by the door.

Also by the door was a little photo frame that seemed to be one of the very few decorations of the trailer. It was a picture of Jessie and another man. Jessie looked a few years younger than he did now and the man beside quiet possibly was his brother. Both were holding a beer and smiling to the camera. The man, whom she didn't know was wearing a leather biker's vest, which unsettled her to no end. Sure, there were plenty of biker gangs to be had in San Andreas, and thousands more in the US, his brother belonging to any number of them wasn't a stretch. But still, the thought of a biker, any biker, wasn't pleasant to her.

Natalie grabbed her house keys from her pocket, wondering how far the walk was back home from where she was before she opened the door. She took one step out and stood frozen in place immediately as her heart damn near stopped. She had only seen this place in passing, but knew exactly what it was; Stab City. The local residents, who consisted almost entirely of The Lost MC sat together in groups, doing a bit of early drinking and in general partying, having a good time. She however was filled with terror, her breath fast paced and aching while she tried her best not to cry or shake right then and there. Her eyes darted around, trying to convince herself that she could get out of this without anyone seeing her run away.

Before she could even make a proper decision she heard her name called, she quickly looked over to find Jessie flagging her down, grinning from ear to ear. He was with others in his own little group, several wearing their patches. She swallowed the massive lump in her throat, her feet mechanically leading drawing her towards his direction. She figured her playing the part of unassuming was better than her running away screaming.

When she made her way into the circle Jessie threw an arm around her shoulders, shoving a beer in her hand, “See? I told you she was pretty!” He said proudly, a couple of the people around them giving their hoots and hollers in agreement with him, “Nat, this is my loving family.” He gestured towards each person, stating their names but she barely listened.

On the outside she looked pleasant and happy to meet them, but on this inside she was a screaming, sobbing mess, “Hey everyone.” She took a sip of the beer handed to her, barely tasting it however, “Nice to me you all.”

Jessie grinning, squeezing her tighter to his side and giving her a firm kiss on her cheek, “Ain't she great?”

The conversation among them went on without much of her involvement. She was still attached to her bed mate’s side, unaware of the sniveling mess she was about to become if she didn't leave Stab City soon. By the looks of it, none of them recognized her, which was a blessing in itself, thanking whatever heavenly being that made the people who held her captive keep their mouth's shut about the whole thing. But she knew she shouldn't push her luck any further and went to excuse herself back to her own home when her eyes found a familiar face.

He looked just as he did a month ago and he was staring right back at her across the dirty road that connected the series of trailers occupying Stab City together. It was the one of the men who held her captive, the one oozing with a superiority complex, the one who took off her finger. He said nothing to the rest of his circle of friends and despite his unreadable expression she knew damn well he knew who she was.

She had figured he was shot down with the rest of his friend's at Hookies. But no, he was in front of her, getting a read on her like she was a piece of machinery. His eyes were lingering on her bandaged hand before she quickly turned to Jessie, who -like the rest of the small circle- were completely unaware of her skyrocketing anxiety.

“I have to go.” She said quickly, her nervousness slipping out slightly, she silently cursed herself, “Sorry, I just forgot I have work today.”

She was lying, but they couldn't seem to tell, Jessie offering to drive her back home to which she declined. He kissed her once more on the cheek, promising he'd see her soon, she made her leave finally after he pushed her into giving him her number. She began walking out of Stab City, not looking back until she reached the main road, seeing if the man who often lead her night terrors was still looking. He was, and when he caught sight of her looking right back at him again he flashed her a sinister, toothy smile with a look in her eyes that turned her blood cold. She whipped her head back, continuing to walk when she felt like running.

Only when she was sure that no one was watching was when she decided to race down the road. She wasn't sure how far she was planning to go, or if she was even going fast, but she found herself somewhere towards the mountains finding the tunnel that drilled into the mountain and hiding herself behind a nearby tree, hoping it was enough to keep her relatively safe as she was trying to collect her scrambled thoughts.

She had no clue if they were going to go after her again, but the thought of waiting and seeing was unappealing and left her nauseous. Before Nat knew it she found herself with her phone in her hand, already dialing in Trevor's number. Getting him involved was the best idea she could think of and with the gun not with her at the moment, he seemed her only option.

After a few rings he picked out, sounding a little annoyed to be woken up, but she ignored it, “Trevor, I need you.” She nearly yelled into the receiver of her phone, doing a quick look around to be sure no one was near by.

He was quiet for a moment, seeming to be doing something else, before growling out his response, “This sounds like some weird foreplay.”

“Trevor!” She yelped, nearly choking on his name in her panic, “I-I fucked up really, really bad. I woke up with The Lost but I got out, I'm in Grapeseed.”

“Wait- what?” He sounded like he was in disbelief, “Run that by me again.”

She took a huge breath, trying as much as she could to get her nerves under control, “Last night, I went home with a guy... woke up in Stab City. No one recognized me there, except the guy, one of the guys who kidnapped me. He saw me. He might come back to get me, Trevor.” She let her control on herself slip on the last part, sounding like a pitiful child.

“Do you have your gun on you?” He replied quickly, getting the seriousness of her situation, sounding like he was getting ready to get her.

She winced, “No...”

“Jesus, Natalie.” Trevor said with obvious irritation in his voice, “Y'know, I didn't get you that gun for the fun of it.”

She dragged a hand over her face, knowing she was going to get hell for leaving her house unprotected, “I know, Trevor, I'm sorry... Please help me.” She begged, trying her best not to sound as downright pitiful as she felt to no avail.

“I'm already on my way Natalie, where are you?”

She glanced around, biting her lip idly as she got a proper sense of her surroundings, “I'm just off North Calafia Way, right beside the tunnel.”

She didn't hear a goodbye, just him hanging up. She dropped her phone by her side, raking her hands through her hair and taking deep breaths to try to calm down. She knew if she was going to get out of this, out of everything, relatively alright then she needed to toughen up. This ordeal with The MC wasn't going to go away quickly so she had to formulate some sort of emotional game plan.

She was tired of letting her emotions get the best of her, despite how reasonable it was that sometimes she couldn't sleep for days and how often it set her heart racing to hear a motorcycle pass by. But now she had to be strong; if they came back for her it was life or death. And when the time came, she hoped she was ready to take a life to save her own instead of falling back on the defending graces of her boss.

The brunette heard a large vehicle stop nearby, making her heart nearly stop. She dared to take a peek behind her hiding spot, hoping it was Trevor. As she glanced behind the tree she saw the giant rusting truck that she only ever saw her boss ride around in. She quickly swiped her phone off the ground and got up just as he hopped out of the driver's side.

He looked her over like he always did, but this time she got the sense that he was seeing if she was alright, “You look like hell.” Was all he said as she climbed into the passengers seat.

“Sorry.” Was all she said, she did a quick look around to see if he had been followed as if he wouldn't already do that. Still, it calmed her down to see that they were alone.

He climbed in, watching her intently as she fastened her seat belt, speaking with sarcasm, “So you decided it would be a good idea to go home with one of The Lost?”

She frowned, wrapping her arms around himself, “I don't think he's a member, maybe a friend or something, he wasn't wearing a vest.”

He spoke again with irritation, “Maybe you shouldn't jump into bed with just anyone considering people are out there to butcher you and you can't even protect yourself.”

She winced, knowing he had a point, but resenting his tone, so she argued, “Look at yourself Trevor, god knows you've slept with most of Blaine County's meth population.”

The older man shot her a look, a dark, hateful look brewing inside his eyes, something that made her nervous, “Well you see, sweetheart, the difference between you and I is that I don't come running to someone else if I get myself into some shit. If I end up fucking a psycho, I can handle it.”

She frowned, gritting her teeth a little, trying to find some way to defend herself but coming up short. The brunette slowly calmed, sighing, defeated, “You're right.”

He watched her for a moment, his fingers twitching on the wheel, looking like he was getting ready for a blowout of an argument that was cut short. He debated whether to continue to rip into her or let it be, he chose the later, taking a breath, “That sounded like it tasted like vinegar.” Trev reached for the glove box, opening it up and handing her a gun that she recognized as his own, she turned it over in her hands as he spoke back up, “Do not go anywhere without it.” He commanded, sounding almost like he was speaking to a disobedient child.

She frowned deeply, but nodded, turning it over in her hands, getting a feel for it once more, “What's going to happen now?”

Trevor was looking towards the road, “You can't stay here.”

She looked back at him, “What??”

He glanced back at her momentarily, “You can't stay in Sandy Shores and expect to live, not now. We're going to find you somewhere to hide for awhile.”

Natalie frowned, quiet for a moment, as much as she wanted to stay in Sandy Shores, he had a point, again. The thought of her going into hiding wasn't ideal, knowing she'd have to leave without letting Janet or Rebecca know she was going to be away, but she had to make that sacrifice if she wanted to survive, “Where?” She finally spoke up, looking to him.

The young girl saw he cared, not just by actions but by his general patience about the trouble she seemed to keep finding herself in. She wondered if it was a genuine care for her well-being or if he was just defending a pawn for a grander scheme of things.

She saw him running over thoughts in his head for a long moment, before he answered vaguely, “I think I have somewhere in mind. I hope you like LS much more than I do.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie moves in

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little note, this all takes place within the time period of the game, but certain events that happened in game may not occur in my story, some will however.

Chapter 9

Natalie stood outside a posh home nestled in the rolling landscape of Vinewood Hills with a large box of her things tucked in her arms. As far as going into hiding went, she didn't expect to hole up in a place that cost more than most of Sandy Shores, but she wasn't going to complain. She glanced back towards the road to finding Trevor lifting her other cardboard box from the Bohdi's truck bed, this one consisting of her clothing. She turned back to her temporary residence, walking into the door already opened for her.

She barely had time to pack up for her disappearing act, Trevor had already sent a message to Ron to get what she needed for her indefinite leave, so when they got to her little trailer her clothing and various amenities were already ready. She mentally cringed at the thought of Ron rifling through her underwear drawer, but didn't think of it much more than that, it wasn't the time to be prude. Luckily, despite Trevor rushing her to get back into the truck, she was able to swipe a few things she wanted to keep around her, like a few old photographs of her and old friends, most probably haven't even thought of her in years.

She wondered if all this was even worth it, all the way to when she made her great escape from suburbia to her humble beginnings as a drifter. She had wanted to travel and be free, but now she was sleeping with and hiding from a gang that wanted her dead. Sure, the idea of making her own nuclear family with a picket fence house made her queasy, she would most definitely live a hell of a lot longer and almost assuredly safer.

Sleep was all too difficult to come by for her nowadays, her eating habits were at a minimum and sometimes she would stare off into space for hours on end and not even realize it. She wasn't built for the life she wanted, she understood that now. But she couldn't run back away into the arms of the parents and town she pushed away, not that she wanted to, so she was left with her unfit instincts and the gun secured in the waistband of her shorts.

She owned that damn gun for a good amount of time by then. But since leaving for Los Santos it felt one-hundred pounds heavier knowing that she would have to use it if they were to find her, and that she had to make that shot count for something if she planned to live.

She went into the living room of the sprawling, luxury home to find Franklin; the man who helped save her life. She smiled, happy to see him again, despite only knowing each other from when she felt dead and almost looked it. He had been willing to spare his guest bedroom when he heard the basics of her situation. He welcomed her in warmly, offering to take her clothes downstairs for her while she explored and settled in. She politely declined, her and Trevor heading downstairs, finding her room. She had to take a second to herself, seeing how her room seemed to bleed excess, it had to be one of the nicest places she ever imagined she would call her temporary home and lay her head down at night, that is if she could manage to sleep.

The smaller girl turned to Trev, who looked rather unimpressed with the sleek beauty of her temporary residence. He sat the box tucked under his arm beside her closet. She bit her lip, debating whether to speak, “Thank you, Trevor.” She said softly, not even a fraction of her gratitude able to be expressed through words.

He shrugged, looking down at her, taking the box in her arms and setting it down for her. He only gave a grunt in response, something told her people didn't usually express any form of thanks to him. She decided to change the subject, “How long do you think I'll be here?”

He glanced around, checking out the place, already heading back upstairs, she followed, “Not sure, we have to see if they're even coming for you at all.”

She bit her lip, “Don't you think they'll check here? I mean, Franklin's your friend and all...”

Trevor shook his head, “The Lost aren't very smart. Even if they do decide to come poking around, Franklin can handle a couple of junkies. You got your gun?” She lifted the handgun out of her waistband, holding it out to him, he looked satisfied with her answer, “Don't leave the house, until we're sure they're not looking for you.”

She grimaced, the idea of being housebound for a while seemed like hell, but being chained and beaten was worse. She made a glance to the oversized windows that lined the Franklin's house, saying a silent goodbye to the sun for a while, “Okay.” Was all she could manage to say, looking back to the taller man, wondering how long it would be until she would see him again. She had a feeling he wasn't one to stop by for visits.

There wasn't much else to be said between them and after some discussion between the boys, Trevor left in his Bohdi. Franklin had welcomed her in right after, being as friendly as she hoped he would be. He offered to get some food from an Italian place nearby, but she politely declined, she needed some time to get used to her new room.

Natalie ventured back downstairs and into the guest room. It was large and already well furnished. She looked to the side of the box that had her clothes, she wondered if she should unpack, but figured she could do it later. Franklin had put up some new curtains over her windows just in case someone went snooping around in the backyard.

She let out a soft breath, sitting herself down on her bed and falling back down on her bed. She stared up at the ceiling, seeing no yellowing from cigarette smoke or mysterious brown stains from previous owners. It was weird to her, being in a town for 5 years that made filth a part of its charm, she almost forgot what clean looked like. Even the sheets felt nice under her fingertips, maybe Franklin still did routine cleaning despite this room's lack of use.

As far as running away from a gang that robbed and killed for fun, staying here didn't seem too bad. It of course was going to be tough not being able to go out and enjoy the weather or go out to pick up a pack of cigarettes (although Frank would probably have it covered). But there was no point in fretting now; she was probably going to play the waiting game for awhile, so she had to do something while she did. She got back up, beginning to unpack.

–

Natalie fell asleep that night, but did not do so peacefully. She dreamed she was alone in a place of infinite blackness, where, no matter where she walked, it was just her, alone. Even then she felt a presence, like something was still following her inching closer. As whatever it was drawing near, her walk went into a run and then a full out sprint. She could feel it right behind her, sure if it had breath, it would come heavy on the back of her neck. Hands wrapped around her, they felt bony almost skeletal. She imagined it was death taking her.

She ventured out of her new room by midnight after she decided tonight wasn't the night to get well rested, climbing up the stairs into the living room. She didn't expect to find Franklin there but he was, sitting on one side of the L-shaped couch that sat in front of an impressively large TV posted on the wall. He seemed to be idly watching the current Reality TV sensation on the news explain how her new southern accent was completely natural, looking up when he saw his new roommate enter. He gave a lazy smile, “Hey, Natalie.”

She sat on the other side of his couch, pointing at the beer hanging loosely in his hand, “Can I have one of those?”

He glanced down at his beer for a moment like he forgot about it, before nodding quickly, “Yeah, you don't even need t'ask.”

The brunette smiled, nodding her thanks, standing and heading towards the kitchen. She found a case tucked in the bottom shelf of the fridge. She grabbed one for herself and unscrewed the cap, heading back to the living room and returning to her spot on the couch. The TV was now showing something about a robbery now, she had a strange feeling Trevor and Franklin might very well have something to do with it.

“I don't think I thanked you for letting me stay here.” She spoke up again when nothing interesting on the TV seemed to be on at the moment.

Frank looked back at her once more, “Oh, don't worry about it, dog. I'm hardly here anyway, figure someone could get some use out of this place.”

Natalie smiled a little and sank back into her seat, feeling she didn't need to speak more. He seemed friendly enough, she didn't see why she felt so uncomfortable here. Sure, the reasons were unpleasant, but this was the best was to stay hidden and out of the way while Trevor stomped out the what remained of the gang.

She had to think positively about it, she miles away, a man who was willing to do anything was hunting down the people who hurt her, she had Franklin by her side, who looked well experienced with a gun, and she had a gun on her own, one that she very well wouldn't have to use in order to return safely to her little home in the mass expanse of desert north of Los Santos.

The young girl turned her attention towards the TV, she was done thinking for the night. Now, all she had to do was let Trevor do what he did best.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie wasn't innocent before Sandy Shores and she continues that streak after

Chapter 10

August 2006

Natalie's fingers drummed against the wheel of the car her buddy Aaron had stolen from his parents. She kept throwing glances at the liquor store she parked in front of, fearing that her friends had somehow been taken down. Her fist clenched and she hit the wheel, knowing she shouldn't have trusted them.

The brunette had only a few people she could call her friends in all of San Andreas and all of them had the same ideals of a more dangerous, exciting life. Little did she know they would eventually leave behind that gal for domestication.

And most of them had cornered her and convinced her to be their ride for their stickup job. So all 4 of them piled into the station wagon and made their way to pillage for booze and petty cash. She was tasked with what they said was the easiest part of the job, but secretly they chose her because she was the only one who didn't have a single accident on their record.

She heard the door to the store they had planned to rob swing open, the boys running out, in their arms were bags full of alcohol and those days earnings. They rushed back into the car, yelling at her to start driving. Nat slammed her foot on the gas and the car lurched and then sped forward. She glanced at the rear view mirror and saw the owner of the store come running out just as they sped away. She felt a tinge of guilt for the guy, she knew the store wasn't doing too well, but she ignored it. It was too late to feel bad about it, she did it and she knew even if the what they gained from it wasn't worth the effort, the adventure of it was.

She made a sharp turn left to head towards the highway and hide among the 18-wheelers, running a red light that got a few car horns going from pissed off motorists. Her crew was dead silent while she sped away, the tension and nervousness was palpable inside the car, everyone waiting until they were in the clear.

Natalie made a few more turns, they all jostled and pressed against the doors from how reckless she was driving until the last turn to speed out of Paleto was in sight. She could feel her friends leaning forward, their breaths catching in their throats. A grin crept across her face, she couldn't believe they were almost in the clear.

She ignored her turn signal once more, quickly turning the wheel but was unable to miss the passing police cruiser responding to the robbery. She slammed right into the side, effectively T-boning the cruiser. The air bags went up, she could feel the sharp pain of glass and her seat belt biting into her torso. Cursing was heard from the back of the car as her two friends hit head first into the back of the front seats.

She slowly sat back to see what she had done. There were two officers in the cruiser she smacked right into, they looked okay but still dazed from what had happened. Her friends cursed and complained of their broken loot and no means of escape. She felt her heart drop down into her stomach, feeling nothing but the awful sensation of having fucked up big time.

“What the fuck are you doing?” She heard her friend Aaron bark at her from the passenger's seat. She didn't even notice herself reaching for the mask on his face.

She swiped it off his head, fitting it on herself instead before she unfastened her seat belt and scrambled out of the car. She heard her out of commission friends yelling at her as she bailed out. She wasn't going to jail for some booze, no way, she couldn't. She ran, having nothing she needed so leaving everything behind. She ran straight out of Paleto, her feet pounding on pavement until she made it to the nearby forest. Only stopping and checking if she'd been followed after she dove into a bush. She heard sirens, but none come towards her.

The brunette sank down onto the forest floor and ripped the mask back off her head, not caring about the damp sinking into her clothes or the leaves tangling themselves in her hair. She looked up towards the obscured sky as she caught her breath. Her heart ached from failure and the overexertion, her lungs felt like they burned when she breathed. She looked back towards the direction she fleed, feeling a sickly feeling from fleeing her crew, but if they had been in the position she was, she was sure they would do the same.

She got back up after what felt like hours, the sun was setting and she had a long walk back home. If she even wanted to go home. What could be waiting for her in Paleto made her beyond nervous, but she had no place to go except for the seaside suburbia. She decided then and there that she needed to leave. Natalie had no means of escape, but perhaps maybe a month tops staying with her parents would be enough to provide her what she needed. But only if her friends didn't rat her out, and she prayed they didn't.

-

She sat on one of the little bar stool by the kitchen's island. She had spent most the day taking care of laundry, and now that the last load tumbled in the dryer she took a break. She found an older bottle of wine hidden in the cabinets by the stove, Franklin didn't seem like much of a wine snob, so she assumed it was left behind from the previous owner. She decided to try it out and have more than just one glass, after all, drinking was a rather enjoyable vice of hers and she was never above day drinking. She looked over a fashion magazine that was dated a year back, once again, left behind by previous owners.

Looking over the magazine page she found a tall, slender woman in a strapless red dress that hugged the model's thin curves perfectly, she had a black and white fur coat wrapped around her that was so large it could've very well been the same weight as her. She looked to the dress with mild envy. She couldn't help it, she always had a taste for fashion despite her wardrobe being mostly tank tops and booty shorts. Still, she sometimes dreamed of going to events where an evening gown was required, but would shake them away. That wasn't the life for her, she chose a dirty life, and mud was difficult to get out of fur.

Natalie figured she was getting her taste of excess by spending the past two weeks with Frank. It had been a breeze despite the fact that sleep was still hard to come by. But there seemed to be plenty to do in the house to keep her occupied when her bed gave no comfort. She felt safe there, in the first few days she stayed vigilant for the sound of motorcycles coming by, but the only one that seemed to come near was Franklin's.

So she let her hair down a little, her gun was still always by her side just as Trevor had told her to do, becoming almost a companion to her. There was no way of her practicing her aim while she was stuck there and she silently worried that her already low skill was getting rusty, however, she seemed to have reloading and clicking the safety on and off down to a science.

Trevor hadn't spoken to her since her left her behind and she feared he had forgotten her. Frank reassured her plenty despite the fact she had never voiced those fears to anyone but Chop, who she would often spend time with to dull the loneliness. Frank had caught up with Trevor a few times for small jobs, but there was no update on the situation in Sandy Shores. Natalie had expected something to happen by then, even if it meant The Lost pulling into the driveway, but it seemed this was going to take much longer than she thought.

Her train of thought was interrupted with Frank coming through the door. He smiled at her in greeting, she was a welcome face in his home by then. She had done more than her share in helping around the house when he never asked her to, they became friends quickly, “Hey Natalie, did you make dinner?”

She shook her head, turning a page to another fashion spread, “Nope, not yet.” She usually did make dinner, another gift to Franklin for being a gracious host.

He lifted a large plastic bag in his hand, “Don't worry about it, I got take out from Sal's.”

Natalie felt a grin grow across her face, he had ordered from there before and got her some kind of lobster stuffed ravioli that was the best she ever had. She closed her magazine and grabbed the bag from him, taking out the series of boxes and grabbing plates for them, he chuckled, “You don't have to serve me, you know.”

She smiled and shrugged, getting his plate set up anyways before handing it over to him, he said a quick thanks and made his way to the couch. She followed soon enough and handed him over a beer from the fridge, having gotten one for herself along with her own plate. She sat down, turning on the TV, “Oh, Lamar called, his message is on the machine. He mentioned something about a girl named Tanisha.”

The satisfied look on his face from his food change to a small frown, “Oh.” Was all he said, the tone in his voice piqued her interest.

She raised a brow, speaking with food in her mouth, “Who's Tanisha?”

He frowned a little more, sipping his beer to either wash down his food or delay his answer, but she couldn't tell, “Old friend of mine.”

She blinked, there was the edge of coldness when he spoke, “Did she screw you over or something.”

Frank laughed, it didn't sound like there was much humor in it, “You could say that.” He sighed, looking to his food, he didn't look too hungry anymore, “She was my girlfriend up until she figured she was too good for me.”

“Oh.” Was all she could say at first, before shaking her head, “What a bitch.”

He let out another laugh, this time with humor at her sudden brashness. His body had tensed at the mention of his ex but now he relaxed, resting back into the couch, “Well I wouldn't say all that...”

She smiled at him, glad she got the mood back, “You deserve better, Frank.” She said with finality, sitting her plate down on the coffee table, she got up and went into the kitchen, “This beer isn't doing it for me, want something stronger?”

He looked at his bottle before looking back at her and nodding, abandoning his food as well and following her into the kitchen, “Yeah, I think I got something.”

The taller man rifled through a cupboard to find a nice large bottle that was sure to get them the perfect amount of dizzy and beyond.

They didn't bother to return back to the living room, finding themselves a seat on top of the island where they could share their bottle. Franklin gestured to the magazine still lying there, “Do you want me to get you another one of those?”

She shook her head, taking the first sip of her share, it was strong and burned before it even went down her throat, “No, its okay, I found plenty.”

Franklin took the bottle from her, “I didn't think you liked that sort of thing...” He took a drink before he realized what he said, “I mean, you dress good and all, but y'know, those 'high fashion' magazines just don't seem like your thing.”

She smiled, grabbing the bottle once again, “Nice save. I like them, I'd like to think I could pull off what they're wearing.”

He raised a brow, “You don't think you can?”

She shook her head, “Too short, firstly. I don't have the bodies they have either. Plus the whole thing about cash.”

He laughed softly, “Man, every girl thinks they don't look good enough. You look great Natalie, you can wear whatever you want. Yknow, if you can afford it.”

She grinned at him, nudging his arm with hers, handing him over the bottle, “You think I look great, Frank?”

He returned the grin, “Well I'm not blind. Yeah, you look great.” He drank and then gave the bottle back, “So what's up with you and Trevor; why he care so much about keeping you safe? You two datin' or somethin'?”

She laughed, “Oh hardly.” She shook her head, making her laughter die down, “Well, I work for him. Hiding some stuff of his. I don't know why he cares so much, honestly. I know how he treats other people so it's kinda weird he's doing all this right?”

He nodded, “Yeah, that's what I was thinkin'...” He smiled a little more, “Maybe he got a crush on you.”

“Like you do?” She teased him.

“What? Please.” He smiled shaking his head, though something told her he might have been lying a little. Sure, as he said before, she looked great, and occasionally she would catch him looking at some part of her that he meant for her not to see. She saw it as innocent enough, not thinking into it much until just then. She wondered...

She took another drink, this time drinking until the burn became too much and she winced away, “That didn't sound very confident, Frank.”

He smirked and shrugged lazily, “It is what it is.”

They didn't say much after, the deal seeming to be already planned out and set in their head. They drank together for only a short while until they both gained a decent buzz. They retired the bottle back into the cupboard before they ventured downstairs and into Franklin's bed room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry guys, this is still a Trev/OC fic


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie faces death

Chapter 11

She got her first good night's sleep lying in bed with Franklin. She woke and got up after noon, Frank had already left for the day when she collected her clothes off the floor. Sex with him was great, simply for the fact that there was nothing beyond a night of physical pleasure. Natalie had no desire for any romantics and Franklin had obvious hang-ups about his ex girlfriend. Natalie knew she played the part of rebound last night, but she didn't care.

She tossed her old clothes into her bedroom and grabbed a new set, she opted for more comfortable than appealing like she usually did nowadays since she wasn't allowed out. Nat ventured upstairs to the living room and to the TV to watch the news. She wasn't a fan of the news, she still wasn't. But it was the only source of info she really had about the outside world since Trevor pocketed her phone in case The MC turned out smart enough to track it.

The brunette wondered what Janet thought happened to her. She knew her adoptive mother thought the worst of her not-so-professional relationship with Trevor, so she feared that Janet thought she wasn't just missing, she was dead. But somehow she felt like she would know if her boss thought she passed, like the older redhead was some holy force that would send the world crumbling if something happened to her kin.

She was interrupted from her daily dose of celebrity gossip when Franklin's home phone rang. Natalie let it go to voice mail like she usually did. She was pretty sure Frank never even checked his mailbox anyways, but she let it save just in case it was important this time around.

The scripted voice ended and the beep rang through, there was a moment of silence before someone spoke up, someone familiar, “Hey, Natalie, I know you're there, they don't let you leave.” Her blood ran cold when she realized who it was, the man who kept her captive. She always knew he had a bit more of a brain than his friends, but by then she thought she was in the clear. He continued, “You know if you don't answer I'll just have to come for a visit.”

She found herself by the phone before she realized she had gone up and practically ran to the kitchen, her hand gripped onto the phone so tightly she might've shattered it if she was a bit stronger, “How'd you find me?”

She could almost hear him grinning from the other end, “Now, that doesn't matter. What matters is that I need to see you.”

Natalie's head was pounding and her breath felt scarce, “I'm not leaving here.”

There was a sigh, “It doesn't matter if you leave or not, I'm going to see you. We can make this easy or difficult. Up to you.”

She frowned, running her free hand through her hair, feeling like ripping it out, “Won't I die either way?”

“True. But if you cooperate, then no one else has to die.”

“You're going to have a hard time killing Trevor.”

“Not Trevor. Rebecca. You know her, right?” As if he needed to ask, he knew he had her in the palm of his hand.

She felt sick to her stomach just then, dragging the trash bin closer just in case all the anxiety made her lose it. She couldn't hide the fear in her voice, “D-Don't hurt her.”

“Then meet me at the Senora park, I don't like to be kept waiting.” His line went dead immediately after, giving her no room to respond.

She dropped the phone on the counter, dropping down to the floor herself and crying. She didn't try to hold back or collect herself, just letting the pathetic sobs and wails echo through the house. She didn't want to move, she just wanted to cry. But she got up anyways, forcing herself to make it back to the living room and grabbing her gun off the couch all while crying.

Despite her blurred vision she found money lying around the home, she grabbed the phone again, dialing the local taxi service. The man on the other end sounded startled to hear someone whimper out their address to him, but he still did his job, telling her someone was nearby and would pick her up soon.

She looked at herself in the mirror before she went out the door. Her face was puffy and red, her eyes bloodshot and her hair was more mess than anything else. Despite that, she went out the door, wiping her nose on her sleeve and tucking her gun into the waistband of her sweatpants, waiting for the taxi to stop by and deliver her to the man who could probably kill her.

–

The drive back north was a long one, long enough for Natalie to regain her bearings. She spent most of the ride turning the gun over and over in her lap. It was her only means of escaping her fate and as much as she cursed herself for not even calling Franklin or Trevor to help her out, it was too late now. The brunette knew she had to face her foe alone.

The cabbie dropped her off right at the mouth of the dirt path that ran through the park. She could see Trevor's trailer from there, and if she ran there quick she could grab him before this little showdown occurred. But the lights were off and his truck was nowhere in sight. Yes, she was alone in this. Natalie turned back to the park, closing her eyes for a few moments. With a deep breath, she suddenly felt a little braver, willing her feet to walk forward and meet him.

She found him by a car near the center of the park, leaning against it and watching the last bits of sun disappear past the mountain. He looked at her when he heard her approach, a smile forming across his lips. He stood up properly and opened up his arms in a welcoming gesture, “I almost thought you weren't going to show.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat but still managed to stand tall, “Well I'm here.”

It wasn't hard to see the gun he held in his hand, but she looked more to his eyes. They were dark and hard to see in the dim light, but she still remembered them perfectly from her time with him, they were so dark brown they were almost black there was no warmth to be found in the hue, almost like his own abyss. He cocked his head to the side, “How's your hand doing?”

She pushed her left hand behind her back, it was still bandaged and healing from the damage he'd done, a constant reminder of him when she refused to sleep and meet him again in her night terrors, “Better.” She hated how she only could give short answers, she needed time if she could ever give herself the courage to kill him before he killed her, “I never got your name.”

He looked slightly aback, before laughing, “Haven't heard that one before.” He calmed, crossing his arms, the gun still in his hand, “Evan.”

“Evan.” She repeated, more for herself. There was some strange relief for finding the name to her nightmares, “Where's...” She paused, trying to remember the name of the other man who caused her all this suffering, “Charlie?”

Evan grimaced, “On of your boys, the rich lookin' fella, shot him down.”

“Oh.”

He didn't like the response, flicking the safety off his gun, “Shall we get on with it then?” The brunette took a step back, her knees feeling weak. But she reached for her gun anyways, turning her safety off as quick as she could and holding it with two shaking hands. His eyebrows furrowed, his gaze turning into a glare, “Fucking bitch!” He yelled out, advancing on her quickly.

She yelped, aiming her gun as quickly as she could and shooting, but missing by a mile. It only pissed him off more as he neared closer. She back away quickly and lost her footing, just as she was about to tumble back his meaty fist collided into her nose and she screamed. Blood spurted out of her nose as her head smacked against the ground beneath them.

He was on top of her in a flash, grabbing for her gun and trying to pull it from her grip. She held on tight while her adrenaline kicked in and she felt new-found strength. The shorter girl's elbow slammed into his eyes, he cursed and threw another punch. This one weaker than the other but she barely felt it as she tried to aim the gun towards him. He gripped onto her hand with his, nearly crushing her fingers until her knee collided with his crotch.

Evan howled in pain, falling off of her and rolling onto his side as he tried to ease his pain. She scrambled up while he was distracted, aiming her gun again. He saw her advantage and quickly got up as well. She bit her lip and tried to aim well this time, “Well? What the fuck are you waiting for?” He snapped, his hands balling into fists, his gun having fallen beside her. She shot again and was closer this time, but missed again.

“Dammit!” She screamed at herself just as her tackled her back onto the ground. He had her pinned, his finger against her windpipe, choking the life out of her. She struggled for breath that wouldn't come, digging her nails into his arm and trying to rip him off with no luck. She saw in the corner of her vision his gun, just close enough for her to reach.

And so she did, with some struggle and her vision blurring into oblivion she managed to get a good hold onto the pistol. She squeezed her eyes shut as she drew the gun back towards them, pointing upwards and firing. The hold on her neck loosened and his body collasped full force on top of her, the gun pinned uncomfortably between them.

She shoved him off of her with all the strength she had, slowly sitting up and inspecting the body beside her. There was a bull that went right through his head, entering at the bridge of his nose and exiting out of the back of his head. She looked away and then closed her eyes, rubbing away the sensation his fingers left on her neck.

She slowly got up, dropping his gun and finding her own in the sand. Natalie felt somehow calm but robotic at the same time. She tucked her gun back into her waistband, looking back at Evan's body. Somehow his lifeless corpse still scared the shit out of her despite the fact he couldn't do any harm to her or Rebecca. Despite all that happened she didn't feel like crying, she just wanted to go home. She missed home so badly it made her heart ache.

She heard a car coming by, she looked back, surprised to see Trevor's Bohdi navigating through the rough terrain of the dirt path, stopping mere feet from where she stood the headlights illuminating her. Trevor hopped out, stalking over and stopping, looking her over and seeing the dirty, bloody mess she was, his gaze then fell on the body beside her, he let out a breath, “Jesus, you do that?”

She swallowed, nodding slowly, “How'd you find me?”

He looked back at her, the night too dark to see him properly, not sure how he felt, “Frank said you went missing, we tracked this fucker over here.”

She nodded again, hugging herself to dash away the sudden chill she felt creeping through her body, “What are we going to do with him?”

He turned to Evan's body, grabbing it and hauling him over his shoulder, “Gotta ditch it in the Alamao Sea.” She didn't question it, she was sure he did it all before, so she simply hopped into the passenger's side of his truck while he unloaded the body into the truck bed, “Want me to drop you off at your trailer?”

She shook her head, leaning back into the sea and looking back to where his final moments rested, “No, I need to see him go under.”

Trevor didn't question her reasoning, just hopping back into his truck and driving them out of the park and back onto the main road. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, watching her, surprised to see her so calm, “You think you're gonna be okay?”

She was quiet for a long time, trying to think if she really was going to be. The people who tormented her even after she escaped were dead and soon to be gone, she could finally return to Sandy Shores and see the few people who actually cared for her again, and above anything else, that's what was going to make things okay.

She nodded slowly, “Yeah.”

–

They left Evan behind to sink off the pier and into the Alamo's polluted depths to turn into nothing more than fish food. They sped off back towards Sandy Shores, Natalie staring off aimlessly at what passed by. She didn't say a word since the dropped his body off, and Trevor didn't try for any sort of conversation until he finally reached into his center console, pulling out the cell phone he made her give up and returning it to her. She looked at it for a second, then him, “Thanks.” He shrugged nonchalantly, keeping his eyes on the road.

She turned it back on, finding several messages and missed calls. Most came from Janet, she knew she had to call her back and tell her she was okay, but later, she was too tired to play Clarissa and explain it all. But who else had called her had shocked her; it was her mother. Her parents were the last people she expected to ever contact her since they had pretty much disowned her in favor of their quiet life. Before Natalie had time to dwell on why she called the phone had rang and it was just who had left her with so much confusion.

She answered quickly, but coming up short on what to say, “Hello...? Mom?”

Her mother spoke as if the 5 years of silence never happened, like the last time they saw each other Natalie's father wasn't throwing her out, “Hello darling, I've been trying to reach you all day now. I need you to come home immediately.”

She frowned, glancing at Trevor, believing he was listening in, “Why?”

She sighed through the door, “Grandmother passed away, Natie. Her funeral is tomorrow.”

She froze up for a second, her grandmother had probably been the only one who truly accepted her non-conservative pursuits of her ultimate happiness, the only one she left behind on good terms. Natalie remained quiet before squeezing her eyes shut and sighing softly, “Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can.” She didn't say goodbyes to her estranged parent, just hanging up and dropping her phone in her lap.

Trevor finally spoke up, “What's wrong?”

She ran her hands over her face and laid her head back, looking up into the endless expanse of night sky and the billions of stars that dot the darkness. She let out a laugh humorlessly, biting her lip, unable to believe the amount of bad luck that never seemed to end, “It doesn't ever get easy, does it Trevor?”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie reunites with the family she left

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, guys, I absolutely love this chapter. Writing this was so easy and great and I just feel I struck gold. Now once again, this isn't a Trevor heavy chapter, but I will resume with what you guys came looking for in the next chapter

Chapter 12

She said goodbye to her trailer as soon as she said hello. Her suitcase only had the clothes she left behind, her necessities still at Franklin's home of which she would replace on her way there. Trevor had simply dropped her off in front of her home, leaving her to find a cab to take her to the northern side of San Andreas. She had the money to take care of it all, but money would be incredibly tight when she made it back.

Natalie considered staying home instead of returning home to what would undoubtedly be a dreadful time with her family. But she owed it to her grandmother to be there as they laid her to rest six feet under.

The cab came and picked her up not long after her shower, hearing her cabbie complain about the long trip, which she ignored. She kept the gun on her like she always had on her trip north, and couldn't help but glance around through the traffic to make sure she wasn't being followed, not that she was an expert on how to tell if she was being followed. Her nerves eventually did calm down and she chose to nap the rest of the way there.

Sleep wasn't peaceful, her dream was more a movie than anything else. It was a beach that had no end, everything was in black and white, the sky overcast and threatening a storm unlike any she had ever seen. It was bitterly quiet despite the waves crashing inside the shore, the sea before her was a contrasting red. Thick as blood and staining the grayed sand before her.

Evan's body washed ashore at her feet, he stared off tino the sky, but seeing nothing. Natalie couldn't bring herself to look away, the beach that had been so deadly quiet soon turned too loud. The waves screaming into her ears at almost deafening sounds. Evan's eyes reanimated, looking straight at her, a mixture of hate and fear in just that look before, just as quick as they came back to life, they died again, his gaze looking towards nothing again.

When she woke up she didn't wake with her heart racing or fear chilling her very soul. She woke up like she didn't dream, when she knew she very well did. But that's what scared Natalie, the fear that she didn't fear that nightmare, that somehow, in the past 4 hours, her very being had changed into something that wasn't her, wasn't who she wanted to be. She shook her head and shook away all her invasive thoughts, she was tired, she wasn't herself because she had no time to rest and regroup. It would be over soon and she could go back to how it was, ignoring that the idea of going back to normal seemed damn near impossible.

The cabbie stopped in front of a home she thought she'd never see again. The brunette got out, grabbing her suitcase from the trunk before the cab drove off for its next job. It was the middle of the night by then, the sun wouldn't show its face again for another few hours. Despite the time, the front door to the house was unlocked and she entered, one of the benefits of living in a small town where everyone knew everyone.

She didn't bother to turn on the lights, despite the years, she knew her way around with little light. She made her way to the kitchen, surprised to see someone there. Sitting at the kitchen table was her brother Greg, he didn't notice at first, looking over papers that seemed to plan out what property was going to who. But he soon felt someone's presence, looking up from his work and finding his sister inside the doorway. She couldn't tell if he was happy to see her, but she knew he would be happier than the rest of their family, “I didn't think you'd come.”

It was as good a greeting as any, she set her suitcase to the side, sitting across from him, “I loved Gran just as much as you. Is your family here?”

He shook his head, “Not here, at a hotel though. I'm staying the night to deal with paperwork. She left something for you.”

Natalie was slightly shocked, despite her good relationship with her deceased grandmother, gifts between the two came rarely. Neither wanted anything from the other besides their company, in another world they could have been best friends, but their bond was always muddied by family drama and Natalie's unwanted role as the black sheep, “Really?”

Greg nodded, finally seeming to truly look at her, he looked at her face for a moment, she didn't look a day older than the day she had been tossed out, Natalie turned out lucky that the blow to the face left no lasting mark. His eyes eventually did wander down to her hand, noticing the missing digit that had been carefully wrapped in a fresh white gauze she applied after the previous gauze had been destroyed with blood and dirt. He swallowed the lump in is throat from seeing just the outside of the damage, “What happened?”

Natalie glanced down at it, “Accident at the bar, got clumsy chopping food.” She had rehearsed that excuse so much she said it easier than she could say the truth.

He had no reason to suspect anything else, shaking his head and tsking, “Mom will have a fit.”

She frowned bitterly, not from his disapproval, but from the mention of their mother, “Mom would have a fit even if I didn't chop my finger off. Can you at least act like you missed me? No one else will.”

Greg frowned, pushing the stacks of paper away, pushing a pair of wire rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose, “I'm sorry, Nat... it's been a rough couple days. I really do wish you'd come around to see us.”

She felt bad, missing the friendship her and her older brother had. But even being there now with time to talk and enjoy each others company, they were just too different, “You know I can't, Greg. I'm only here for Grandmother, I owe it to her.”

He nodded, slowly getting up from his chair, “I should get some sleep, the service is at noon, we gotta be there by eleven.”

She nodded, fiddling with her hands, “Alright, night.”

He left to his childhood bedroom, which had been untouched since he left for college years ago. She didn't have such a luxury, the day she'd been thrown out of her home, so had her bed and her dresser and anything else her father could drag out the front door.

She ventured out to the living room, which hadn't changed much in those five years. She noticed there were considerably fewer photos of her to make room for pictures of Greg and his blossoming family, the most recent showed a picture of his wife, Erica, pregnant. She sat herself on the couch, deciding to make this her bed for the remainder of the night. She grabbed the folded up throw blanket and matching pillow and got herself comfortable. Despite her desires to sleep, she couldn't help but look at the photos of the family that didn't feel like hers enjoying their lives without their daughter.

–

Sleep eventually came and she was woken up by the sounds of her family getting ready for the day. She imagined they wouldn't have woken her up, but ignored it, this wasn't the day to relive the bitterness she held towards her parents and the rest of the people who pushed her away. She got up and stretched out her limbs. Quick to hide her damaged hand under the throw blanket when her mother passed by.

Natalie and her mother looked like the same person, the only difference was the years between them. Nat had counted her blessings that her mom was still pretty, so she had little to fear when she got to her age so long as she cut back on the cigarettes. Despite their similarities in appearance, they had no bit of personality that matched. Her mother tried to keep up an appearance of the happiest family around, her dream was being Paleto Bay's very own Stepford family, ignoring the fact that it entailed complete soullessness.

She clapped her hands together, her mouth going in a hard line at seeing her daughter so unready for the day, “Dear, please hurry up, your father would hate to be late for his mother's funeral.”

Natalie didn't protest, not giving her a single word, simply getting up and grabbing her suitcase, lugging it into the bathroom to change. She didn't bother much with her appearance, swiping her mother's makeup to clear up any blemish before throwing on the clothes she packed. It was a simple, long-sleeved, black dress, something she did actually like a great deal, but still wound up dissatisfied that the only time it would get the attention it deserved was at a funeral.

She was out of the bathroom quickly, slipping her phone and her cigarettes, along with her bandaged hand into the dress' hip pockets, when Greg passed by and found her simple way of avoiding drama over her missing finger, she earned a smile from him, something she was surprised to feel pride over. Natalie stood by the front door, getting out of the way of her family as they prepared.

She soon came face to face with Greg's wife. They had only met once, never speaking beyond a simple 'hello'. She looked surprised to see Natalie there, but gave her a polite smile. Natalie pushed a smile across her own face, glancing down at the toddler bouncing in her arms, oblivious to the tension or the future sorrow this day would bring.

The awkward silence between the two was soon broken when it came time for them to head towards the funeral home. Greg had decided to be merciful and let Natalie hitch a ride in his car instead of having to endure a ride with their parents. She mouthed a silent 'thank you' on their way out, which he returned with a smile.

–

The funeral home was packed with family and friends of the late and great Edith Bell, they all whispered their condolences to each other, some even providing sympathy to Natalie, but most who did had been unaware of her status as the family disappointment until a gossip decided to quietly slip the news soon after.

Natalie was positioned in the front, sat beside her brother and her mother, much to Nat's dismay. As people were piling in to find seats and tissue boxes, she finally got a good look at her father who sat with her mother. Natalie's father was a tough and tall man, what could very well be considered All-American. He was a man not to be trifled with, but at the same time most still flocked to him, claiming he had a 'warm disposition'. But she didn't see it, she saw a man who wished she wasn't there, quite possibly wanting her to just not be his daughter. In simplest terms, she felt sorrow and resentment to a parent who couldn't even pretend to love her anymore like her mother did.

Edith's body lay in a coffin arranged in the front, flowers cascaded over the top that matched arrangements lining the walls, giving the entire room and nearly overpowering smell. People sat and sniffled as they mourned their dearly departed. Even her mother, who didn't care for Edith too much while she was alive, dabbed at tears with a cloth handkerchief, though Nat suspected this was purely for show.

A pastor arrived at the center, Natalie remembered him from her youth, when her family all went to church on the holidays. He was an old man by then, nearing his eighties and his faith in The Good Book gave him no reason to retire anytime soon. His voice was still strong despite his years, silencing everyone in the room aside from the occasional sniffle or held-back sob. He spoke of Edith fondly, having known her since high school. Many suspected they had once dated, but when asked the only answer they would get from either the pastor or Edith was a small chuckle and an urge to leave the past where it was.

Natalie kept her eyes on the coffin, where her grandmother lay and take in the kind words of those who loved her. Edith was a well beloved woman, everyone had a good couple words to say about her, even if they didn't like her behind closed doors. The thing about Edith was that in her many years and many good and notable deeds had made her very being give off an air that demanded respect. She was a woman to be envied, and those who wronged her or her kin were handled with a graceful cruelty, of which Natalie's mother feared and her father quietly resented.

How Natalie was not treated so harshly, she barely knew. She had a feeling that from the day she was brought into this world Edith knew she wasn't going to be tamed. She was a free spirit, a free thinker since the day she learned to walk. Nat liked to think that in her day, Edith too rebelled from the normal, or at least wished to rebel, but free thinking was much less desired back in her day.

The funeral seemed to end entirely too quick, but Nat had barely been paying attention throughout, lost in the thoughts of her childhood. Edith was promptly laid to rest and the mourners promptly left to the community center which would hold the solemn after party.

People mingled and talked amongst themselves, eating the dishes they prepared for the event. It looked like a game to Natalie, the game being who could act the most devastated and at the same time graciously empathetic. Mother had proven a strong contender in the game, blowing her nose when she pretended to think no one saw, choking up midway through sentences, but at the same time, subtly glaring at a young woman who was another of Edith's grandchildren who had forced tears to stream down her face the entire day.

The spectacle that laid out before her was making Natalie more nauseous than the dish of Alfredo that a distant aunt had forced on her plate. When she was sure no one was looking at her she disposed of her food and slipped out the back door of the community center. She was alone finally, able to go through her own grieving process which involved a pack of cigarettes and a bottle of wine she swiped from the banquet table. She sat herself down on the pavement, not caring if she got her dress dirty.

It felt cathartic to be there by herself, sipping a cheap wine and taking a drag off an even cheaper cigarette, a tear or two was even shed at the expense of her grandmother. She wondered what Edith would do if she saw her friends and family behave this way. Natalie smiled to herself, figuring she would tell them all to quit lying to themselves.

The back door opened again and out came the brunette's father who hadn't so much has looked at her the entire day. He too seemed to be escaping the horrible play-acting that lay inside. He noticed his daughter sitting on the ground just a few feet away from him, making no move to hide the bottle she'd stolen.

He looked at her with disinterest, as one would look at a lesser. She was reminded instantly on how much she truly despised him, “I see even after your grandmother has just been put to rest you can't seem to stop yourself from getting messed up.”

She looked away, tossing her cigarette butt and speaking with obvious bitterness, “Don't you remember? I'm the family disappointment.”

He gave an exasperated sigh, “For the love of God, Natalie, you act like we tortured you. We gave you all we could and you still ended up rotten.”

She sipped her drink, “You never believed in me, you never wanted me to be happy, you just wanted me to what you wanted. Don't worry, you only fucked up one of your kids.”

He watched her for a long time, looking in disbelief at the person who was his offspring, “What happened to your hand?”

Natalie scoffed, “Please don't act like you ever cared.”

He sighed, tucking his hands into his suit's pockets, “Maybe it'd be best if you just left.”

She laughed, throwing her head back and wiping the residue of the wine from her lips, “It's about time we agreed on something.”

She got up and looked him over, seeing a man who was so familiar to her, but not her father, just a man who claimed to be for twenty-six years. She made an over-dramatic bow at him before turning away from him and walking off. She found in the parking lot her brother, sitting with his wife and child. Despite his grief, they looked happy, they looked like a real family that was going to make something out of themselves in that small town. It was something she still had no desire for.

Greg looked up at her as she walked closer, seeing the look on her face, “Your leaving.” He stated, not having to ask since he already knew.

She nodded, giving a half smile, “Yeah, who knew a chat with Dad would turn out bad?”

He smiled a little, despite the relationship between Greg and their father being much better than her's, he knew how their old man could be, “I'm just glad you came up.”

She sighed, watching her niece play gnaw on a set of car keys, “Yeah, well, glad someone is.”

He stood up, coming closer and doing the last thing she expected, hugging her, “Please stay in touch, Natie, I'm worried about you.” He spoke quieter, into her ear, “I know your lying about your hand, you were never clumsy enough to main yourself.”

She smiled a little more, “Should've figured you were too smart for that. I promise to call if something happens to me.”

He nodded, grabbing her by the arms and getting one last good look at his little sister before he reached into his pocket, grabbing some cash from his wallet and pushing it into her hand, speaking up before she had time to protest, “Don't. Just take it.” She looked down at the money in her hand, more than enough to pay for the cab and pay for two weeks worth of groceries, “I know when your in trouble, Natie. You can pay me back later if you want.”

She looked up at him and hugged him again, before quickly releasing. She smiled to him and then his family, before finally turning away and off towards heading back towards her childhood home.

She reached for her phone in her pocket when she was a good distance away from the community center, dialing in Trevor's number. A few rings went through before he picked up, “Natalie. Where are you?”

She sighed, the sound of his voice making her feel closer to home, “I'm still up north, I'll be back in Sandy Shores by tonight.”

“Why? Home not so sweet?”

She laughed, “This was never my home. I need to come back Trevor, I still want to work for you. In whatever I can do.”

Natalie could hear him chuckle through the receiver, “You think you can stand to be more that a rat hole?”

She sighed, nearing the house, nearly glaring at it, “I can do whatever you throw at me.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie gets a promotion with benefits

Chapter 13

What stood before Natalie was enough methamphetamine to keep Sandy Shores nice and violent for a week. Trevor and Chef had loaded their supply into cardboard boxes that were stacked ceiling high wherever they could hide them, some of the high quality stuff once resided in Natalie's home. But since her home had been compromised, they found a safer solution. Natalie was left with a better opportunity for cash and a more interesting career choice, albeit tedious; checking inventory for one of the largest meth cookers an distributors in the Blaine County area.

Natalie had several places to go to daily and if she ever hoped to make it to any of them, she would need a car. So despite her little amount of cash, she buckled under the pressure of transport requirements and went car shopping. She found the best thing she could get, a red Vulcar Warrener owned by an elderly man who was a little too handsy upon their meeting. The color was ugly shade, the stereo didn't work, and sometimes the air conditioner would let out a smell that was similar to a paper mill if it was being used too much, but it was cheap and she didn't fear that it would quit within the next year or two, so it would do.

She had 6 stops total to make every day; both the privately owned airfields that graced Sandy Shores and Grapeseed, the cookhouse, and two storage facilities. With each, she'd have to personally count each box of meth and make sure that no one that didn't have clearance had tampered with anything. She'd write down the numbers, making sure what had been taken out for distribution matched up with serial numbers pasted on each box. After the day was done, she'd simply give the record to Ron, and after every 3 days she'd report in with Trevor, unless there was an issue with anything, to which she was to report immediately.

Reporting to Trevor wasn't as simple as a phone call, however. She would personally meet up with him and the meet up was unfortunately two hours away in Los Santos. Trevor seemed to have taken up residence there due to employment opportunities she wasn't aware of, though he'd occasionally return to his little trailer in the sprawling desert when the city became too much for him.

All the work that was now put on her meant that her job at the bar suffered. She was barely ever there, always calling out because Trevor demanded so much of her time. She felt awful for leaving Janet high and dry, but her hands were tied.

Nat finished her last markdown, exiting the storage facility after locking up behind her and getting into her car. She tossed the paperwork into the passenger's seat and stared at her hands gripping tightly to the wheel. She had to quit her job at The Yellow Jack, she didn't want to disappoint Janet any longer, but she felt awful for leaving her. She made her final decision, driving back to Sandy Shores with the sinking feeling in her chest.

–

“I knew this was coming.” Janet sat with Natalie in the small office in the back, smoke filled the air and gave it a hazy, messy appearance.

Nat couldn't help but still feel regret, “I'm sorry Janet, I just can't...”

The redhead shook her head, leaning back in her chair, “Hun, don't worry about it. I get it. No one expected you to stay here forever, we got other gals here to fill in for you. I'm not mad or anythin', you have to do what you have to do.” She shook her head, crossing her arms, “Just wish you weren't going off with that Trevor.”

She frowned, “Why are you so against me working with Trevor?”

She gave her a look, like a mother catching her child in a lie, “Now we all know damn well that there's more than just business between you two. I don't care who you spread your legs for, that's your business, but Trevor ain't good for ya'. He ain't good for no one. He's gonna get you killed one of these days, hun.”

She had to admit, her life seemed to be awfully more in danger with Trevor around than it had ever been. But it didn't seem to matter to her anymore, strangely. Dying wasn't as scary as it was, she'd seen it plenty by now, been threatened with it just as much. She was going to pass eventually, all she asked for was to die with her head held high. She did her best to ignore the statement, knowing she couldn't very well protest it since she was starting to believe it too, “If there's anything I can do for you just call me, okay?”

Janet smiled at her fondly, “Don't worry about it, dear, I got all the help I could need right here. Just do me a favor and make sure not to drop off the face of the earth again. You had me worried when you we're gone those two weeks.”

Natalie and Janet didn't discuss what happened much. Natalie came up with the excuse that she in fact was in Paleto Bay for those two weeks mourning her grandmother instead of that half a day she had actually been there. Janet knew immediately that it was a crock of shit and she knew Trevor had something to do with it. But Natalie was back in Sandy Shores and she was back unharmed, so that was all she really needed.

After a few more words that were exchanged between the two, they parted ways. Natalie swore up and down that she would stop by as much as she could, but Janet didn't hold her to it. Nat was going to be very busy very soon and the small town of Sandy Shores just wasn't going to be good enough. So Janet hugged her, holding her for a long time before letting her go, hoping the next time she saw her, she wasn't going to be in a body bag.

Natalie left The Yellow Jack soon after and went to her car. Today she had to go back down to Los Santos and report to Trevor. The drive there was long and frustrating and when she reached there, she would often only be there for a few minutes to drop off files. She decided the least she could do for this trip was to treat herself a little. She had enough money to spend a little on herself, so maybe some take-out from that Italian place Frank always went to, she missed it since leaving.

The drive there was like the several other occasions, with heavy traffic and blistering heat. It would've made the ride to LS more bearable if she had a radio to listen to, but she was out of luck. After those long hours she finally made it down to Trevor's temporary home in Vespucci Beach. She saw his Bohdi parked by the staircase, breathing a quiet sigh of relief that she didn't have to sit around and wait for him.

She made it up the stairs, going right through the door without knocking. It had been customary for her to not knock, Trevor wasn't a fan of answering the door and his forced roommates often weren't home. Though this time around they were. The jittery one was arguing with Wade, whom she met when he would stock up her closet full of meth. It was a hushed argument, but Natalie could tell it was about Trevor, complaining about his living habits. She knew he had a right to complain, every time she came there, the apartment looked more and more beyond repair, even Trevor's trailer back in Blaine County didn't match up in terms of damage and smell. She thought he destroyed this place more because of stress, she knew he despised everything about Los Santos and him having to constantly save her ass probably didn't help out.

The argument went silent when they saw that Natalie had arrived, shifting uncomfortably away from each other, the skittish one clearing his throat, “H-How you doing, ma'am?” Despite her ties with Trevor, he did seem to like her, treating her with a higher degree of respect, instead of the forced respect he gave T. Perhaps he thought she accidentally got mixed up in this, instead of the truth; that she got where she was on her own accord.

She nodded to him politely, “I'm doing pretty good, thanks.” She glanced around. Oh yeah, this place definitely looked worse than before, “Is Trevor around?”

As if on cue, Trevor exited the bathroom, zipping up the fly his jeans as he did. Natalie immediately noticed he was without a shirt, showing off a new tattoo across his ribs that not-so-subtly proclaimed 'FUCK COPS'. She could tell it was still fairly fresh, she hoped for his sake he was keeping it cleaned and safe from infection. But knowing him, he probably wouldn't care if it did get infected. Pain didn't seem like much of a thing to him.

She held out a manila folder to him, ignoring her rising interest in seeing him shirtless. God, she felt like a teenager, “Everything checks out, as usual. Chef said he saw a couple of junkie kids out by McKenzie Airfield, but he said he 'dealt with them'.”

Only a month ago she would shiver at the idea of anyone being 'dealt with' for the sake of drugs, but now it seemed so trivial. The thought of her disregard for another's life would've scared the hell out of her if she didn't care so little. Truly, in the past month, her apathy had reached to staggering heights.

He grabbed it from her, flipping through the papers with only slight interest before shoving it into the hands of Wade, “Take care of this.” Trevor commanded. Wade only nodded, hobbling off outside to do whatever it was Trevor wanted.

Nat looked back to the jittery one. She felt bad for not remembering his name, he was always polite with her and he remembered her's, often calling her Miss Natalie. She kinda felt bad for the guy, having his home ruined. But if he wasn't going to stand up for himself for once, then she wasn't going to help out. God knows his girlfriend was sleeping around and he didn't do anything about that either, he was just a born doormat and if Trevor wasn't there to abuse him, someone else would do it.

Trevor ventured into the kitchen to grab himself a beer from the fridge, finding a spot in one of the dirtied up blue couches, the stains no doubt a product of Trevor's stay there, he spoke up again, “We got a huge transfer coming through two days from now. We need you to help out.”

She sat herself on the other couch, “With what? Just gotta count that out?”

He shook his head, popping open the top on the corner of the coffee table in front of them, “No, actually we need you to help with transport. It's coming in through the LS airport, Chef doesn't have a license and just in case someone goes after the shipment, he can handle a gun. We're gonna need you to drive.”

She blinked, but didn't even second guess it, “Yeah, okay.”

A grin spread across his face, loving to hear that she was as ready and willing to do anything as she claimed she was, “Great.” He got back up, grabbing another beer and handing it over to her as his way of thanks. He sat beside her now, instead of his original spot on the other couch, she took note of it, “You need to get down to LS by 11 am, the truck will be at our cook site. Drive it down, load it up and take it back to McKenzie.”

She nodded, “I've been working on my aim, y'know.” She opened up her beer the same way he did his. It'd been awhile since she drank, she had been too busy since the funeral to have much free time that allowed her to get shit faced.

He raised a brow in between sips, “Have you?”

She nodded, pulling out the gun from her purse. She never went anywhere without it, even moving through rooms she always had it on her, “Yeah, I think I got it now. But I've only ever shot stationary targets, and one coyote.”

“Coyote?”

“Was rooting through my trash, thought it was some creep.”

He grinned, “So shoot first ask questions later?”

She nodded again, speaking simply, as if it wasn't about matters of life and death, “Something like that.”

He looked more than happy with that ideal. Natalie knew it wasn't going to take much for him to come onto her, she was just surprised they didn't try to screw again until now. She smiled back at him, not wanting to take the slow route so she immediately went for it. Her hand slid onto his thigh, lightly gripping onto the muscle. His eyes went to her hand for a moment, then her own eyes. He had a dangerous look on his face, something that lit her nerves on fire and excited her.

“Floyd!” He barked out, his head turning to face the nervous guy, who jumped when he heard his name. Nat had forgotten he was even there, “What the fuck are you still doin' here, eh?”

Floyd went to speak, but second guessed himself. He dropped whatever he was doing and made a beeline to the front door, stumbling as he did. Natalie smiled softly, she didn't realize before she met Trevor, but power was certainly sexy to her. But instead of her original plan to just hop on his lap and do what she did best; she got up. Going back to the kitchen in search of a better tasting alcohol. She heard a grunt come from behind, Trevor apparently not finding her suddenly leaving his side satisfactory.

She found a bottle of whiskey lying around on a counter, grabbing the tumbler sitting right next to it. The brunette turned, not hearing Trevor come up right behind her. She took a step back to look at his face, their bodies only inches from each other. She felt his hand wrap around her's, taking the whiskey from her hand. He took a rather impressive drag from it, before setting it back on the counter.

Her hand went to his new tattoo, gently feeling over it, “Is it still sore?”

He looked down at her, shaking his head slightly, “Not really.”

She set the tumbler aside, using both of her hands to explore the naked muscles defining his torso. His skin was hard, scars splattered across, some worse than others, some as brand new as the tattoo. There was a bruise at his left hip, half of it hidden under his jeans. The bruise was dark and shaded with vibrant purples and blues, also like a galaxy was set on his hip. Her eyes and hands wandered further, finding scratches and cuts mar the skin on his arms, the damage extending to his face, one particularly deep cut went across the curve of his jaw. It almost definitely needed stitches, but she knew better than to think Trevor would ever get it the care it needed.

His mouth was on hers before she knew it. His mouth was rough like she remembered, the kiss heavy and intense. She took a step back from the sheer forced of it all, backing up into the counter. He took no time to have his hands run all over her, like he was relearning her body all over again. Her arms wrapped around his neck, forcing him closer, their chests pressed firmly against each other, little space between them but he still found ways to grope at her chest.

Being near Trevor felt downright filthy on it's own, kissing him and having his calloused hands grip onto the soft skin of her waist was beyond taboo. But she couldn't be bothered with the reputation of being one of Trevor's frequent lays, because she was too busy enjoying the skill her expertly performed on her.

She felt his hands on her ass, gripping tightly before lifting her up on the counter so their contrasting heights leveled out. She reached down to unbutton her own shirt, leaving Trev impatient as she fumbled with the buttons. His lips went to her neck, sucking firmly, an intimate pain shot went through her neck as he bit down. It was surely going to leave a mark, but she didn't care in the least. He shoved her hands away as they tried to undo the buttons. He grabbed tightly to her shirt and ripped it the rest of the way open, the remaining buttons popping off and flying every which way.

Her bra and pants were quick to go as well, Trevor proved to be as good at ripping off clothes as he was handling a gun. She was left completely naked and at his disposal. He shoved her back so she was near laying to get a good look at her. He took her all in, somehow she managed to be in the business and the only scar to show was that on her hand. Her skin was near perfect, smooth and tanned, her nipples still had their piercings, a stainless steel that match the cool blue-gray of her eyes. She was unlike any of his other frequent lays. She somehow managed to survive Sandy Shores and keep a face and body that deserved to be seen in classic Vinewood movies.

She pulled him back down, Natalie being the one to initiate the kiss this time. She kissed him with the same intensity he had brought on before, her tongue tracing his bottom lip, causing a shiver to go through his spine. He reached down and undid his jeans, jerking them down to mid thigh. Her legs snaked around his hips, drawing him in close. He could feel the heat of her warm against his own hardened shaft. He groaned, not wanting to wait a second longer, breaking away from the elongated kiss and grabbing tightly onto her hips, forcing her down onto his length.

She gasped softly, her eyes nearly rolling into the back of his head at the feel of him pressed inside of her. He already was thrusting, giving her no time to wait for the second wave of pleasure the run through her. His fingers pressed into her skin, holding tight to her as she rocked her hips to match his tempo.

Dishes surrounding them fell off the counter from their friction, some clattering against the floor while others broke and shattered, scattering to pieces around them. Trevor was watching her movements as he pressed deeper and harder into her; watching her eyes slowly go shut with each thrust, her breasts bouncing and her hand gripping tighter to his forearm. Her soft moans and sighs echoed through the apart and brought him closer and closer to his climax.

He reached down, his hand wrapping around her throat and squeezing slightly. That's what sent her higher and higher, her body tensing to where she could almost break, until finally she met her orgasm. She went silent as it took her to another place, nothing but bliss spread across her body, her vaguely aware of him finding his own release and her's eventually subsided. She relaxed all at once, feeling like she was melting against the counter.

She panted, opening her eyes again to find Trevor still standing over her, panting and sweating. He eventually pulled back, fitting his jeans back onto his hips. She slid off the counter, grabbing her shorts and slipping them on. Looking at the mess he made of her shirt and smiling a little. She grabbed it and putting it on, not bothering to fasten back the few buttons that remained, instead tying it just under her bust, “You owe me a shirt.”

He looked back at her, grinning at her improvisation, “I think I made an improvement.”

She smirked, stepping closer to him and kissing him once, softer this time but still somehow with the same heat their kiss always seemed to have, “I'll be back in a few days.” She said against his mouth before finally parting, grabbing her bag and gun and heading out the door.

Just before she closed the door she heard him call out to her, “Make sure to wear something with lace!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wowza, a nice and easy chapter. Don't worry, more shit to come next chapter


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Work complications ensue

Chapter 14

She opted for plaid and the most minimal of makeup. Natalie did her best to try and look the part of a truck driver. Looking at herself in the mirror, she found herself perfectly capable for this role. Grabbing her keys and her gun she went out the door and walked the short distance to the cook site. Waiting for her was Chef and a large delivery truck with a Pißwasser logo printed on the side, she could only assume it was stolen.

Chef stood from his lounging position when he saw her arrive, smiling at her appearance, “Glad you got dressed up for the occasion.”

She smirked and rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips, “Thanks, shall we go?”

He nodded, hopping into the passenger's side of the truck cabin while she took the driver's seat. She shoved a cigarette between her lips and turned on the truck with the keys already in the ignition. Chef spoke up again, “Traffic's going to be horrible getting to the airport, it should clear out by the time we're heading back.”

“Great.” Was all she said, she cranked up the air conditioning and the radio. She didn't realize how much she missed the radio until her favorite station hissed to life. She wasn't sure how into modern alternative Chef was, but she didn't care, and he didn't seem too interested in it anyways.

His focus was on the road. He wasn't driving, but he still kept a sharp eye on each car, making sure that nothing seemed too out of the ordinary. Chef was an addict, she could tell the second she had met him about a week ago. It wasn't a surprise, however, it was clear everyone in Blaine County had a vice and being a meth cook gave you access to any vice you wanted to partake in for a proper fee. Chef's favorite thing to sample was the thing he was considered the best at making, methamphetamine. His desire for it wasn't as bad as Trevor's, so his appearance was cleaner. His skin didn't look like a product of substance abuse, but rather manual labor. When he did partake in his dependency, he handled it much better than most, still able to work as hard as he ever did and function fairly normal and even though he sampled his product, it was never enough for there to be any harm done in sales. Trevor never minded either, the biggest fan of Chef's work was in fact Trevor.

Chef was right to predict bad traffic ahead, the trip took an extra hour than it would normally take to get from Sandy Shores to Los Santos. But they made it on time anyways, having guessed beforehand they would need extra time to make it down south, so by the time they went through the gates, their plane had touched down. Natalie was told to sit back and wait around while they loaded up, finding it slightly offense that she was the only one not instructed to load up the shipment, but she didn't complain. Enjoying the bit of free time to explore the giant stretch of asphalt that made up half of Los Santos International Airport.

She made her way towards a small resting area by the main building, set there for workers to rest and escape the sun until their next task came. She found a few benches and vending machines hidden under and awning. She grabbed the little bit of cash she had in her pant's pocket, grabbing herself a Sprunk before sitting herself on a bench.

Natalie took out her phone, finding a message from her best friend Rebecca. It felt like forever since she even thought of her, feeling a little bad for it. But life had a way of getting in the way. She opened up the message; Rebecca was going to be in Vespucci Beach in two weeks vacationing with her new boyfriend and his friend. She figured she could afford to spend some time with her. She needed a day to enjoy herself, it felt like ages since she just had a relaxing day, where there was no work to do or no one seeking to kill her. She replied she could see what she could do, but promised to see her at least for an hour.

She got back up after a few minutes alone, taking her time to get back to the truck. She knew already she didn't have the eagle eye Chef did, but still looked over her surroundings, hoping that she could find anything out of the ordinary. No one seemed to look her way, everyone too busy with their own tasks at hand to pay her any mind, so she eventually made it back to the delivery truck with a calming mind.

They were almost done, Chef already getting ready to get back in the cab. She hopped back in first waiting for the call for them to leave. She heard one of the packers smack the side of the truck, telling her that she was good to go. She looked beside herself to Chef, who nodded his confirmation. She started the truck back up and left.

–

The drive back was easier, it seemed like red lights were shorter as well. But when she made a glance at Chef she saw he wasn't as calm. His body was tense, his fingers drumming against his thigh, he stared intently through the side view mirror. She spoke up, “What's up?”

He frowned, speaking as calmly as he could, but she could still hear the nervous tension, “There's a black sedan behind us has been behind us since we first got onto Carson Avenue.”

She glanced out the rear view mirror and she enough she could make out the sedan. The windows were too dark for her to see who exactly was driving and how many people the car held, “What do you think they're going to do?”

He was still watching them, “They're going to make a move soon, if we get close enough to Sandy Shores then we can get out of their reach, so they have to start shooting before we make it onto the LS Freeway.”

Natalie's fingers tightened on the wheel, resisting the urge to gun it. She waited for a shot to go off and soon enough she heard it, her side view mirror shattering when the bullet made impact. She flinched away from it, but kept steady on the road, finally she stomped her foot on the gas, the truck steadily speeding forward. Chef was right on top of their defense, popping shots back at their attackers.

Natalie tried her best to keep steady, but was having trouble weaving through traffic on the intersections, trying not to slam into a car and slow them down. She made it to Popular Street and the sedan was still after them, neither of them making any progress eliminating the threat.

“Jesus Christ!” Chef cried out, his arm coiling back into the cab, “They fucking shot me!”

She looked quickly over to him, seeing the wound on his forearm, she cursed under her breath. There went her gunman. There wasn't much she could do then besides try to outrun them, which was next to impossible considering the truck barely made it to 80 miles per hour. She was staring straight ahead at the road, watching the other surrounding vehicles speed forward to avoid being a casualty.

Fuck, she thought before gritting her teeth and stomping on the brakes. The sedan behind them didn't expect the stop and rear ended them, causing the truck to swerve as it screeched to a stop. She did what she could to stay on the road until the truck finally stopped. She looked back to Chef, “Can you still shoot?”

He groaned, still holding tight to his arm, “Fuck, I think so.”

She nodded, wasting no time to grab a hold of her gun and get out of the truck. Their enemies were waiting for them, couple Asian guys in suits, four total. She ran for cover before she shot, Chef following suit, the adrenaline mending the pain ringing through his arm.

Natalie opened fire on their attackers. Her aim steadied, hitting her first target in the shoulder, knocking him back behind the car. She went for the second, who shot at her first, a bullet whizzing past her head, nearly ending her life. She recoiled back to cover, looking at Chef with wide eyes, he looked right back at her for a moment, looking at her intently with a wild look on his face, “You can do this.”

She believed him, taking a breath before stepping back out of cover. Her eyes went back on her second target, who was waiting for her. He shot again, but missed, hitting the truck. She shot immediately after, getting him in the head. He crumpled and his gun went off, the last thing he'd ever do.

Chef got the other two down and out, slowly rising from his cover. Natalie advanced to the car, knowing her first shot was still alive. She saw him behind the car, still lying on the ground, cursing in Chinese while he curled over from the pain. He saw her approach, trying to get a good hold on his gun but getting it to late. Her foot went against his wrist, forcing him to release.

She watched him, almost observing him like he was an animal in the zoo. Her gun was held tight in her hand, reading to aim and fire. But some small thing held her back, she searched for what it was. She had killed Evan, but it was dire and somehow, some small part of her thought she could escape without absolutely having to kill him. Now she had to kill this guy, she had to because in her chest, she wanted to. And she found him surprisingly calm, ready to accept his fate, but not without a glare on his face, ready to drag her down to hell with him if he ever had a chance.

She aimed and fired, shooting him in the forehead, his head falling back with blood flying every which way. She stared down at the body she created. Somehow, in her head it morphed to Evan's, she could almost swear she was looking back down at him like she had before.

“Natalie!” She heard Chef call out, holding onto his arm again now that the danger had been cleared out for now. She looked back to see him still by the truck, surely wondering what the hell she was even doing.

She glanced back down at the body for a moment before shaking her head, heading back to the truck to take up the driver's seat again. They departed before any cops went to investigate.

It was quiet for a while up until they were exiting the freeway. Chef looked at her, grabbing a rag from the glove compartment to stop the excess bleeding “Have you killed anyone before?”

She sighed, finally realizing how tensed up she was, “Yeah, I have. It just feels... I don't know, different somehow.”

He smiled a little, “Would it make me a cliché if I said it gets easier?”

She laughed a short laugh, “It would. But I know, I just need time I guess.”

They made it to McKenzie Airfield without another issue, finding Trevor waiting up front with a couple guys waiting to unload the truck. They got out of the truck to greet them. Trevor inspecting the damage, “What happened?”

Chef looked back, seeing the trail of bullet holes, the worst of it in the back, “Chinese were tailing up. Me and Natalie got them taken care off right outside of Los Santos.” He didn't speak much after that, heading inside the hangar to mend his wound.

Trevor looked at Natalie, seeming surprised that she was able to take down a few guys on her own. She raised an eyebrow at him and smirked, as if to ask if he thought she was incapable to handle her own. After all, she managed to take down a man hell bent on ending her life and kill a tragically curious coyote.

Trev turned towards the men to his side, speaking to them in Spanish, probably instructing them to unload the back. She stepped out of the way just as they made it to the back of the truck to unlock and unload.

She pulled out her cigarettes, and took a deep breath. She felt like getting really drunk, but knowing her, she'd just turn in for an early night once again. She lit up the end of her cigarette and watched the two men grab box after box and head into the hangar. She assumed they were professionals at this, treating this like just another day. She wondered if she was going to end up like that, so used to drug trafficking and killing that is would become a second nature to her. She had to admit; it made her nervous to be so cold and callous. But she was working under Trevor and the way she had killed a man only half an hour ago and still barely felt a thing told her she was already halfway there. She was going to go crazy, she was going to be murderous, but this is what she wanted for so long.

Natalie turned her head, catching Trevor looking at her from where he stood a couple feet away, he didn't look away when he was caught. She wondered how long he had been watching her. She smiled at him, “Is there something you need?”

He nodded towards the trailer not far from the hangar, before turning and heading towards it. She took it as her cue to follow. She ashed her cigarette and tucked what was left in her pocket before following him inside. The trailer wasn't meant to be someone's home, but rather the hub for communication and information for McKenzie. Even then there was an opened up futon and a set up in the little kitchen the people who worked there must spend a lot of time hanging around.

Trevor closed the door behind her, Natalie quick to unbutton her shirt so he didn't ruin this shirt too. He pressed her against a wall, watching as she slipped off her plaid shirt, revealing a black bra. She smiled a little, “Sorry I forgot the lace.”

He scoffed, leaning down and kissed her, hard and firm. He hands were all over her waist, never getting used to the feel of her. She kissed him back with the same ferociousness, grabbing his shirt and trying to pull him as close as possible.

Before she knew it, she was on the futon with him on top of her. He was kissing down her neck to her chest, leaving behind marks that were sure to bruise. She moaned and sighed with each deep kiss on her skin, her legs wrapping around him and bringing his body down against hers. One of his hands trailed lower, unbuttoning her jeans in one swift motion and shoving his hand into her panties.

She gasped softly when he reached just where he needed to be. She reached up and gripped tight into his hair, forcing him closer to her and kissing him again, her need for his touch becoming more incessant, making it almost as hard to breathe as what he was doing to her was.

Sex with Trevor felt nicer than she normally had it. Perhaps because this was her longest 'fling' with a guy. She often didn't sleep with guys more than five times, in fear that they would begin to have feelings for her. But with Trevor, it felt easier, sex had no meaning and it felt fantastic. Even his cries of 'I love you' when she was close to making him come held no romantic value, it was just his version of pillow talk.

And just like any time they shared a bed or wall or any place that was sturdy enough to do their dastardly deeds, she felt nothing but tension and bliss. Her fingers pressing into the muscles on his back as he rocked his hips against hers until he would pick up the pace and her firm touch turned into her nails digging into his skin, causing his back to arch into the pain he adored so much.

He reciprocated with his own version of pleasure induced pain. Leaning down just as she reached orgasm and biting down hard into the muscle between her should and neck. She cried out, clawing deeper into his back, making him bleed just as he made her bleed.

When they finished, they lay beside each other, panting and sweating from the over-exertion. She soon touched over where he bit, looking at her fingers to find a bit of blood on her tips. She turned to face him, punching him in the arm, “You fucker, that's gonna scar.”

Trevor looked back at her, a devilish look on his face, “That was the plan.”

She rolled her eyes at him, sitting up and reaching for her half used cigarette. But thinking better of it due to Trevor's distaste for it and tucking it back into the pocket of her discarded shirt “So what was that? You claiming me or something?”

He shrugged, sitting up a little bit, crossing his arms behind his head, “Yeah, looks like it.”

Natalie shook her head, but still finding a smile on her face, “If this gets infected, you better pay for my doctor's visits.”

He waved her off just as she got up, ignoring her complaints because in reality she didn't mind the mark on her skin that would be a permanent reminder of the best lay she probably ever gotten. She put on her clothes and grabbed her things. Turning back to him just before she walked out the door, “By the way, I need to take time off two weeks from now.”

“I don't care.”

She scoffed, “Fuck you too.”

–

Within the next few days, things continued it what she considered normality. She had since patched up the wound that she felt oddly prideful over, but wouldn't admit it. She had time to herself after her daily work routine, walking down to the local 24/7 store to pick up some drinks for the a night of movies and drinking alone.

On her way back she ran into Michael. She was taken aback for a second, not only because it was odd to see a man like him among the residents of Sandy Shores, but also because it brought her back to what seemed like forever ago. Seeing him only with a gun in his hands and dragging her out of a bar she had been destined to die in. Seeing him again brought a strange mix of anxiety and gratitude inside her.

Michael was the first to speak, seeming about as surprised to see her as she was him, “Wow, glad to see your still alive.”

She couldn't help but crack a bit of a smile, “Yeah, I'm surprised as you are. What are you doing here?” She paused for a second before speaking again, “Trevor, right?”

He gave a short laugh, “Yeah, Trevor.” He sighed, apparently his situation not as humorous as he tried to play it off, “He fucked up really bad, we have to stay here for awhile until everything calms down in Los Santos.”

She couldn't help but feel a bit of happiness at the idea of not having to take the trip down to LS, but felt sympathy for Michael anyways, “How long do you think they have to stay here?”

He ran a hand through his short hair, sighing again, “Christ, I don't know. Trevor fucked up big time, he kidnapped this guys wife, and this guy, let me tell you, he's not taking it well. If we set foot in Los Santos we're pretty much dead.”

She frowned softly, as stupid as Trevor's fuck-up was, it sounded a lot like him, “Can't he just give her back?”

He shook his head, “If we could ever manage to give her back without getting killed, then sure, but we can't.”

She frowned, “Is there something I can do?”

He shook his head, smiling with no happiness behind it, “No, there's no fixing this. We'll figure something out. Hopefully.”

She gave a sympathetic smile to him, not sure of what else to say. Luckily he looked for no condolences, it seemed he was a master in wallowing in his own suffering. He left soon after back to Trevor's trailer.

She watched him walk off, seeing in the yard a woman. She couldn't get much of a good look at her but she new the woman was older. The woman caught sight of her, waving politely. Natalie waved back, surprised to see her so unfazed by being kidnapped. But perhaps this woman was used to it by now.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie meets Patricia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a pretty short chapter but I knew I had to post something since I was absent for a week. A lot happened, I got fired, I partied with a friend, depression, and now I have a date tomorrow, woot. This was a hard chapter to write too, because the next part I want to write about deserves it's own chapter. But enough from me, happy reading

Chapter 15

Nat was packing as fast as she could. All she had to collect her things was a small suitcase and a backpack, but she made due. She opted for clothes first, picking out whatever would last the longest until she could find a source of cash. Since she was heading further south, unfortunately, thicker clothes would not bode well, so she took what she could get. Next it was toiletries; her soaps and toothpaste, along with a bit of makeup.

She looked into her bag and then her room. Her room still seemed so full; full of the past twenty years of her life. But her bag could only hold so much, and memories were not a priority. She took what she could of the small bits of good she made in this life; photos of friends still around and photos of those who moved on, the Zippo lighter her first boyfriend gave her, and a couple small prizes from trips down at Del Perro.

She could only hope that she could sneak out of the house without her parents making a fuss. But she was given no such luck when she heard her door being knocked on and then thrown open. Her father stood in the doorway, his chest puffed up like some predatory alpha male, making him look 10 feet tall. Her mother stood behind him, peeking around her husband to see their daughter.

Her mother looked meek and shy, probably because of the enraged demeanor of her father. Natalie was sure by the way she acted when her husband was pissed off that he had struck her a few times behind closed doors. But to let anyone know this would lead to scandal, so her mother kept tight lipped. Despite her shyness, she still looked ready to stand behind her husband in whatever goal he wanted out of this.

The goal wasn't hard to figure out. He jabbed a finger at her, “Did you steal from the liquor store?” His voice was loud and filled with menace, doing what he knew best to intimidate those he found lesser than him.

Natalie was not so easily cowed by her father's anger. Grabbing her suitcase and staring right back at him, his eyes boring into her with seething rage, which she met with teenage passiveness, “I don't know what you're talking about.”

He advanced towards her in only two steps, grabbing her arm and jerking her roughly closer, “If I find out you were involved, I swear-”

She jerked her arm back to her side, glancing for a moment at her mother. She looked almost like she wanted to speak up, her hands near her mouth, but Natalie knew better to find any safety in her mother, “I did, okay? Let me leave.”

His face somehow got redder, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckled were paper white. If he wasn't as much of the law-abiding citizen he prided himself on being, he could've torn her head off. “You what?!”

She rolled her eyes, playing oblivious to his near violent demeanor, “I was the driver. I crashed the car and ran before the cops-”

She was cut off abruptly by a firm smack across her face. She knew who was the one to hit her, but her eyes went right back to her mother again. Her mother stood frozen and wide eyed, in shock to see her daughter harmed in such a way. Natalie did what she could to convey an ask for help, for her mother to step up once in her life, to prove to Nat that she evened cared about her. But she stood on the sidelines, like she always did and she didn't even have the shame to look away at the mess she was allowing to happen.

Natalie didn't fight back with her father after that, taking the medicine he deemed righteous, all so she could leave this place. His hand was back on his arm, nearly squeezing it to death as he dragged her out of the house. She was thrown onto the front lawn roughly, leaving dirt and grass stains across her clothing. Her father was screaming obscenities at her that sounded a lot more like white noise to her by then.

She got up and dusted herself off as he disappeared into the house to toss out her things, looking around idly and seeing her neighbors quickly surround the property to view first hand what would be this month's hot gossip. He came back out and tossed her suitcase at her, which she narrowly avoided. Furniture of hers was soon to be chucked out, her mother still following behind him, this time speaking to him, no doubt trying to tell him not to make such a scene. Natalie wasn't sure if her mother was more horrified about her child being struck or being scandalized in front of all their friends.

She looked back to her father just as he lobbed a photo frame right at her head. It made impacted and cut deep through her skin. She fell on her ass, but otherwise didn't feel anything besides the blood trickling down her face from her forehead. She winced at the idea of it needing stitches, but was soon distracted by someone coming in to play the caring neighbor.

She got up on her own, grabbing what she had already packed. It took her by surprise but she felt fine despite what was probably a decent concussion. She moved her steady gaze back to what used to be her home, seeing her mother in the window, watching her. Natalie waited, for what, she wasn't sure. Maybe some semblance of kindness, or compassion, anything. But she was only met with coldness as her mother's back was turned to her.

Natalie felt no anger or sadness, she knew for a long time they never loved her.

–

Today was inventory day, which meant she had to go see Trevor. She felt some semblance of excitement for seeing him that day, but kept it hidden from anyone around and even herself. The trip to hand him over the files would be short this time around, however. Trevor had been forced to stay in Sandy Shores for awhile with Michael and their kidnap victim while they waited for the judgment of one criminal mastermind, so trips to deliver were only a short walking distance away.

She made her way to Trevor's trailer, seeing Michael on the porch on the phone. He hung up just as she went up the steps, looking dissatisfied with his call. He turned to her, leaning back on the railing. He wasn't dressed as he normally was. He traded in the expensive suit for a pair of sweatpants and a wife beater that had seen better days.

She didn't know much about the man standing before her, but she could easily guess he had some big, nice house with a pricey car parked out front. She wondered if he made his fortune in criminal affairs or if shooting people up was almost as new to him as it was to her. The deep age lines around his eyes told her that he wasn't new to the game by any means, which made her wonder how Michael got to live in presumed splendor and Trevor was sitting right in the middle of meth country.

She waved to him, and he gave a half heart-ed 'hey' before his gaze when directly to the neckline of her tank top. She didn't find any offense in it, working at a bar full of men drunk and horny enough for anything got her used to that sort of attention. But she knew better than to think that he was purely perving out on her, instead catching a glimpse of a bra she would wear when she was expecting something great to happen later that evening. It was no coincidence that it was also decked out with lace.

His gaze when back to her face, raising an eyebrow and not even trying to contain the shit-eatting grin growing across his face. She rolled her eyes at him, but didn't try to defend herself, stepping past him and into the trailer. It wasn't hard to find Trevor, who was also doing a bit of day drinking by the table in the far corner of the trailer. The woman she had seen before but had yet to get a name off of was busying herself with cleaning the kitchen, which seemed to be an impossible task she was throwing herself into.

Trevor caught sight of her and gestured for her to come over, “Everything looking good?”

She nodded, stepping forward and handing him over the file, “Yeah, everything's good. Someone's buying our stuff pretty quick, we'll be running out of everything if this keeps up.”

He nodded, only half listening as he went over the numbers laid out before him. She felt a coffee mug slip into her hand thanks to the older woman. The woman smiled at her softly before turning and going back to cleaning, “Oh, thanks, uh...”

“Patricia.” Michael spoke up as he entered inside, “Her name's Patricia.”

Natalie looked to him for a second, then to her, forcing a polite smile, “Nice to meet you, Patricia.”

The older woman smiled at her, looking surprised to see any manner's come out of this house, “It's a pleasure.” She spoke with a thick Spanish accent, her voice reminding her over overbearing teacher's from back in high school.

Natalie turned back to Trevor, who's focus was no longer on the file but instead Patricia. He looked at her with something that she recognized as a crush. Natalie found it somehow endearing to see Trevor with a look of attraction on his face that wasn't purely sexual, but at the same time it made her feel completely idiotic for coming over in the most subtly skimpy outfit she had.

She suddenly felt herself cross her arms over her chest to hide the bra she put on specifically for him. She cringed at the thought that she wore anything for anyone. She never cared much to put on anything special when it came to matters of sex. If she was particularly interested in someone, she might throw something special on every once and a while, but there wasn't anyone she had much of a romantic attraction to in years.

She looked at Trevor, did she have feelings for him? She did a check on her vitals, her heart rate was fine, palms dry, nothing that would show that her sexual desires for her boss advanced into anything she didn't want. But still, somehow, she felt the black, ugly feeling of jealousy filling her chest to the point where she could almost taste it.

She spoke up quickly in the hopes no one realized the struggle going on in her head, “So is that all?”

Trevor looked back to her and she could feel what could only be called her heart sinking. He saw her with none of the prior intensity and desire he had so many times before. He saw her as just another worker, like sex and beers hadn't been shared between them. Not that sex and beer meant anything, she had to remind herself, but still, there was no connection, like looking at a stranger, “Yeah, we're good.”

She paused for a second longer than she would have liked, fighting with herself for something to say. But she didn't, she turned to left before she made herself feel like anymore of an idiot. As she made her way to the door she stole a glance at Michael who was leaning on the counter as Patricia cleaned around him, he had a looked on his face she identified as sympathy. She hated him for that look he gave her.

She went back to her trailer with a headache. Finding herself already unhooking her bra and chucking it in the trash. She had a feeling she'd retrieve it later, but for now she wanted nothing to do with it, wanting all her humiliation to disappear. She couldn't understand why she was behaving like this, like she was some jealous girlfriend starved of her significant other's attention. She wanted to hit something, to shoot something, anything to get the anger for herself and for Trevor out of her system. But as she sat there in her living room, wracking her brain for something to distract her, she came up with little that could help.

Her thoughts went to Rebecca, her best friend. Her trip to Vespucci Beach was coming up in a few days. And now she couldn't be happier to leave Sandy Shores for a few days and sort out the whole mess she brought entirely upon herself. Perhaps a few days with friend's and keeping away from Trevor for a little while was what she needed to sort herself out and get over her jealousy towards Patricia.

She couldn't understand why she felt such resentment to a woman she had just met, she was being held against her will in a place she didn't know surrounded by people who killed for a living and felt no regret. Natalie couldn't help but see that Patricia didn't seem entirely fearful in the short time they interacted, in fact seeming to look quiet at home picking up after her kidnappers' mess. Perhaps she was crazy.

The brunette pushed her intrusive thoughts away, not wanting to think about her feelings or her boss any longer. She got up and went to her bedroom, deciding the best way to ignore her embarrassing realizations was to throw herself into packing for her vacation.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vacationing still comes with stress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im sorry if theres an insane amount of errors towards the end of this, I had virtually no sleep for two days

Chapter 16

She had gone through her weekend suitcase and extra bag three times to make sure she had absolutely everything she needed. It wasn't necessarily her need to make sure she had everything she could possibly need, but rather to keep her mind busy so it didn't wander those couple blocks away and into her boss' home.

By the time she was positive there was no more packing and checking she could possibly do, it was nearing the time for her to leave and meet up with Rebecca. She looked at the folder on the kitchen counter that awaited Trevor's approval. She grimaced at it, wishing she didn't have to go over just yet. But she understood there would most likely be hell to pay if she skipped out on her duties just to avoid an awkward situation.

She snagged the file as she loaded up her car for her trip, going over in her head what she would say to him when she saw him again. For a second, she thought she was over thinking it all, that maybe the cold shoulder that Trevor had presented her was just a fluke and the next time he saw her it would be back to normal. Natalie shook her head, even if it was a one time thing, she wasn't going to just ignore it. She didn't want to be treated that way, she didn't want anyone to think that treating her like that was alright.

Natalie drove over to his trailer with her head held a little higher and her jaw and shoulders squared. She was sure she was ready for anything that she'd have to face when she arrived. She pulled over to the side of the street outside his trailer, finding Michael on the porch smoking what had to be a pretty high priced cigar. He waved at her as he saw her get out of her car, speaking as she made her way up the steps.

“Trevor's not here.”

She stopped in her tracks, her ego and arrogance deflating right there, suddenly feeling stupid for over thinking it so much. She tried to play off the fall in her shoulders and her sudden speechlessness, “Where'd he go?”

If Michael noticed, he didn't say anything, “He's out with Patricia again.”

Again. She tried to hide her frown, but it still marred deep into her face. She handed him over the folder in her hand, “Then just give him this when he comes back. Everything's alright, like usual. Chef's taking over for me until I come back.”

He grabbed it and set it aside on the outdoor table, “You're leaving?”

Natalie was a bit surprised to see him interested in what she was doing, she always got a self-centered vibe off of him in the few times they encountered each other. Besides, his current state of visible self-loathing further confirmed her surprise. Perhaps he was just bored, “I'm going down to Los Santos for the weekend with an old friend of mine.”

Something crossed over his face that she understood immediately; longing. She felt bad for bringing Los Santos up, forgetting that being forced away from his home was probably hell for him. She remembered the time she stayed with Franklin and how much she missed the towns surrounding the Alamo Sea. He ignored his own feelings, something she seemed to be doing a lot lately too, “Sounds fun.”

She decided not to torture him with the details of her trip to LS, knowing he'd probably kill to be able to go back south. Plus she had to head out soon if she hoped to beat the traffic, “Yeah, I got to go. Make sure he gets that.” Gesturing over to the file.

He nodded and stuck the cigar back in his mouth as his means of ending their small talk. She gave a small smile as her goodbye and turned, stopping again as he spoke up, “Do you have a crush on him or something?”

She thanked whatever god was out there right now that he couldn't see her face just then, it probably showed what she didn't want anyone to know, and yet she wasn't entirely sure what that feeling was exactly. It felt like all the headache inducing thoughts she kept at bay for the past few days slammed right back to her with gusto. She just wished that whatever was going on stopped. It all made her feel uneasy and just the slightest bit nauseous.

Natalie turned back to him, trying to look as casual and nonchalant as she possibly could. Despite the fact that Michael wore a pair of Aviators that covered most his face, she felt that the answer to his question was already written all over his face, she only wished that she knew the answer herself because this was starting to get crazy.

“No, of course not, I'm not suicidal.”

–

Her friends were running a bit late by the time she arrived at Vespucci Beach, leaving her with some time to herself. As much as the idea of being alone with nothing to do was the last thing she wanted for the past few days, she welcomed it now. Her head was no longer in a fog of stress, perhaps it was being away from Sandy Shores that helped out.

She did still love her home, but there was far too much going on there for her liking, despite most of what was troubling her was her own self-made issues. Being in Vespucci Beach with nothing to do just seemed like the best thing that could happen to her for the time being.

She lounged on the front of her car as she waited for her friends to make it. She grabbed a case of beer on her way to LS and was now sampling one of them. She tuned into her favorite radio station, one that she'd grown to love from her frequent trips to Los Santos that also unfortunately was not on the airwaves in Sandy Shores.

She started to people watching, seeing joggers and beach-goers alike pass by through her pair of sunglasses. She had a faint sense of sadness nestled in her chest, almost wishing to have an average life, one where she didn't have to kill, where she would've never had to deal with her confused feelings about her meth-head boss. But she thought better of it, it was crazy to change life goals over a few tough weeks.

A car was soon to park next to her within the next hour, her life-long best friend immediately jumping for the driver's side, waving wildly to Natalie. In only a few strides Rebecca had her in a crushing bear hug. She hugged her friend back tightly, burying her face into her shoulder. Natalie didn't realize how much she missed her, but as soon as she saw her she did her best not to well up with tears. Everything just seemed so hard nowadays, and being friends with Becca just seemed like the easiest thing in the world.

Becca pulled away, cupping her friend's face in her hands and getting a good look at her. She squealed in her excitement, “You look so great!”

Soon enough the other two came out of the car. One she knew from back in high school, Rebecca's boyfriend John. It was no secret John had a crush on Becca for ages, it was about time she came around. He was tall and blonde, muscular and just all around gorgeous. He was perfect for her too, they were both so happy around each other even before they were dating, it was a wonder how they hadn't ended up together sooner.

The other was new to Natalie, remembering from the text that his name was Avery. He was thinner and nerdier looking than his friend John, but still pretty good looking and friendly enough. They made their quick and slightly awkward introductions and were soon unloading just the essentials of for their day at Del Perro from their cars. Rebecca wasted no time in chatting up a storm and filling Natalie in about how absolutely perfect John was and didn't stop until there was a hot dog in her hand from a cart on the boardwalk.

–

The girls and the boys split up as it was nearing sunset, the guys going by the shore and the girls touring the shops lining the boardwalk aimlessly. Rebecca seemed to steer most of the conversation, not that Natalie minded, there wasn't much to tell her. Actually, there wasn't much she could tell her. Her life now seemed to be consumed by crime, when she wasn't helping in Trevor's ever growing methamphetamine business she was at a gun range with an untraceable gun. Even now, said gun was tucked inside her beach bag in case things got hairy.

She barely felt like Rebecca's friend anymore, just some person who was pretending to be her. Her entire life seemed like something she had to hide from the most important person in her world, whether is was a fear for her friend's safety or fear of her friend never seeing her the same way. When asked about her life there was only some small things she could give away and it left her feeling sad that she couldn't pour her heart out to anyone.

The only thing Natalie couldn't keep hidden was the healing bite mark on the crook of her neck, having to tell her it was from an overzealous partner, but the only detail she revealed about said 'lucky man' was that she worked with him. Rebecca didn't seem suspicious in the least, she had no reason to be for so long after all.

“So what do you think of Avery?” Rebecca asked with no follow up, looking over a few dresses on the rack in front of her.

Natalie glanced at her as she was browsing from a table of knick-knacks, “Avery? He seems pretty cool.”

Rebecca lowered her sunglasses to get a good look at her friend, a smile spreading across her face “Yeah, but do you like him?”

She had to laugh a little, shaking her head, “It's a little early to figure out if I like him or not, don't you think?”

“Well, he likes you, y'know.” She nodded as if to further her sureness, “Actually, he thinks you're 'pretty hot'.”

Natalie grinned, “Does he now?”

“You should totally go out with him.”

She flinched a little. Dating someone, especially someone who wasn't in the crime life like she was seemed like a very bad idea. Even a single date with Avery could lead to a lot of hell. But she didn't want to let Rebecca down, “I'll think about it.”

By then they decided to head over to a local bar and meet up with the guys for a night of drinking before they retired to the hotel. The bar was packed with drunk tourists, a flaw with vacationing on the weekend, though it was a sure thing they would end up drunk tourists too well before last call for drinks.

They picked a table as far away from the general noise as possible, sharing more than a few beers and stories of other times alcohol had gotten the best of them. As John was retelling a story of how he once woke up in a church after a two day bender, Natalie couldn't help but throw a few subtle glances Avery's way. 

She had to admit, he was pretty attractive. He had a particular unkempt scruffiness, his hair so casually disheveled it looked fashionable and a 5 o’clock shadow that advanced half an inch. He was tall and thin and had a look about him that seemed to ooze snarky humor. In all honesty, he didn't seem as much of a law abiding citizen as she took him for. Perhaps he sells Deludamol to angst-ridden hipsters or just knew a pretty good dealer and partied on the darker side of the nightlife often. But she doubted he had any part in mass trade of America's most dangerous drug and it was much less likely his line of work involved killing.

Avery made eye contact with her when she forgot to space out her glances, smiling a little more when he caught her. She forced a smile to try to hide her embarrassment. He turned to their friends and spoke up, “How about we get out of here?”

None of them need much convincing, quickly shot gunning what was left of whatever it was in their glasses before the grabbed their stuff and navigated through the bar crowd and poured out onto the Vespucci streets. They quickly went back to their cars and grabbed as much booze as they could fit into their arms as they made it down to the beach to build a fire pit.

After a few rather unsuccessful tries a fire roared to life and illuminated the small spot they claimed for the remainder of their night. Natalie was quick to get drunk, after all, needing to loosen up more than the rest of them. She was quick with stories by then, but not stupid enough to compromise her situation, even flirting with Avery a bit, much to the happiness of Rebecca.

John was midway through a epic tale from a time in college where he was locked in a Burger Shot when Natalie's phone went off. She cursed quietly for having to miss the rest before quickly excusing herself to take the call. She stumbled away to a quieter location away from her friends before she looked to see who was interrupting.

Through her blurred vision she saw Trevor's name in bold letters on her phone. Her heart skipped a beat and she quickly told her heart to stop doing that just as her mind started racing. Some small part of her held onto hope that he was calling to apologize for being an ass. The other part wondered why she would even care, he was just her boss, or it seemed that's all he wanted to be ever since he snatched up Patricia.

She tried to summon the most sober version of herself when she answered, “Trevor? Something wrong?”

“Where are you?” He spoke bluntly.

She glanced back at her friends who didn't wait up for her, the story already finishing without her. Damn. “I'm in Los Santos, remember? I'm here until Monday.”

He almost seemed to ignore it, “I need you here now for a shipment.”

Her need to work sprung to life inside her, suddenly yearning to be there and do anything she could. But by the distance between them there was no way she could get there as soon as needed. And even if she could, her current state of drunkenness would leave her unable to use a gun or write legibly. She bit her lip, “I don't think I can, Trevor; I'm drunk.”

She heard a highly irritated groan come from the other end at her answer, that one unintelligible sound making her almost regret leaving for the weekend, “Nevermind” Was all Trevor said before the line cut and he was gone.

She wasn't sure if she should feel offended or regretful. Offended that he continued to treat her with such coldness, or regretful that she couldn't help in a stressful time for not only him, but the company she was dedicating life and limb to. But something told her to ignore it, ignore the thing within her that was telling her to humor everything set to stress her out, and she was beginning to see the appeal that apathetic side.

She turned to her friends and joined back into the inebriated conversations.

–

Her weekend seemed far to quick and Natalie seriously considered just not leaving and developing a life of freedom with the local homeless. But responsibilities still called to her and she found herself packing her car back up. Rebecca was already trying to make plans to reunite the new dynamic foursome for another weekend getaway. John had gently shushed her before she became to excited about anything when they were still in the hangover stages of their vacation.

While Becca and John had busied themselves with the last of their luggage that needed packing Avery slipped beside Natalie to help out with her own necessities, despite the fact she didn't need much help with such a small amount she took with her. Natalie didn't say anything about it though, she'd played this game plenty before, knowing what his intentions were.

“So turns out I live not far from Sandy Shores.” He began, his eyes elsewhere to make the conversation seem casual.

She was the one to turn to him, “Oh yeah?”

He shrugged, “A little further south, not far from the prison. Anyways, I don't really go out much cause I work at home. I was hoping you would show me around some time.”

She smiled, raising a brow, “Are you asking me out?”

He tried to play it off coolly, but there was the hint of a smile on his lips that she could definitely see, “If you want to call it that, then yeah, I'm asking you out on a date.”

She laughed a little, but had to think about it for a moment. The good thing about Sandy Shores was that nearly everyone there was a criminal, meaning the dating pool left her with people who could handle themselves and handle her lifestyle. But with Avery, his legality status was still unconfirmed, which left both him and her with a lot of risk, which could potentially lead to either of their deaths. But despite logic and morals telling her it wasn't too great of an idea, she still wanted to try it out. Maybe he would just be a distraction for her while she got her emotions figured out, but it was good enough for her.

He looked at her when there was a few moments of silence in between them. She put his growing nervousness to rest, smiling wide at him and nodding, “Sure. Sounds great.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dirty laundry is aired

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So if you're thinking to yourself, 'wow, this author -alvrexadpot- is horrible at describing our heroine, Natalie' then fear no longer. Turns out, I'm a semi decent artist, so instead of being horrible at writing character appearances, I can just draw 'em, so check it out  
> http://alvrexadpot.tumblr.com/post/129826013864/character-i-made-named-natalie-from-my-gta

Chapter 17

Natalie liked Trevor, that much soon became unavoidable to her. How much she liked him remained to be seen, but she liked him plenty enough for him to be another reason why it was difficult to sleep at night and enough for her to outwardly avoid him when she could. When she wasn't thinking about him, she was usually mentally kicking herself for thinking about him. Even if she admitted to her feelings for him, the source of her obsession wasn't in her attraction, but rather the way she was being so carelessly ignored over Patricia these past three weeks.

She'd grown to have a childish disdain for Patricia, despite the fact the older woman had always treated her with a motherly kindness the few times they had interacted. But the black jealousy that seemed to consume Natalie these days had unfortunately expanded to an anger towards the kidnapped woman. Nat tried her best to tell herself that it was stupid to hold anything against her, but her conscious refused to listen.

There were times where she didn't want to indulge in her pity party and that’s when her mind went to Avery. She was worried for him, worried that who she was was going to kill him. Even then, she still held firm to the plans that they casually date and see what happened. Some part of her still wanted normality in her life and dating someone who wasn't in the life was about the most normal thing she could do for herself.

A life of crime proved taxing, leaving her with one eye always open and a primal, sadistic nature when it came to her own survival. Somehow these instinct didn't carry on to the protection of the innocent, but all she cared to do with chalk it up as one of her many flaws and blame it on being her father's child.

Her date with Avery was drawing closer. After exchanging contact information they set and official date that was only a couple days from then. She had promised herself beforehand she wouldn't sleep with him, at least not on the first few dates. She realized that her sleeping around didn't bode to well and it was a surprise sharing a bed with Franklin one night somehow didn't end up with her missing another digit. But knowing her luck, that karmic action would come and bite her in the ass sooner or later.

Work lead her to McKenzie Airfield this particular day, a high-risk shipment was coming in a little later today and she had been requested by Ron to help out just in case things got hairy. Her gun skills were still a bit rough, but Chef vouched for her, saying she'd still be useful. So with Chef's blessing, she found herself among a handful of Trevor's subordinates prepping for their supplier plane to land and for any anomalies surely waiting to happen.

She sat on a crate, occasionally checking the skies for the plane which was due in a few minutes. She had a Hawk & Little SMG in her hands, it was given to her by one someone in her small band of guys. She didn't have very much experience with anything that brought rapid fire, but there wasn't any time to fret about it. She knew she could hold her own if she tried hard enough and kept her cool when the bullets started flying.

Natalie soon heard someone come running out of the control center stationed in the nearby trailer. It was Oscar, who looked panicked as he wrangled up the team, explaining to all of them that there were two convoys of Azetcas on their way to the air strip to collect from the cargo plane coming in. The cargo plane itself was being shot down and the engines were failing, and when the plane eventually landed, it wouldn't be pretty.

They saw in the distance the plane they'd been waiting for that was tailed by a plume of smoke coming out of the engine. On the ground they could hear the familiar rumble of incoming cars. There was no time for any more idle preparing, half the group went into cover, waiting for the Aztecas to arrive, while the others were watching and waiting for the plane to land and to get the pilot and shipment to safety as quick as possible.

The plane was nearing and Oscar was in the trailer trying to help the pilot down. Natalie was mere feet away as the landing gear of the plane touched down and bounced from impact, cracking and bending underneath the weight of the plane until it completely broke off and splintered off every which way. The plane tipped forward and the nose was shoved into the ground, the belly of the plane dragging roughly against the hard ground, dirt and debris kicking up into the air until the aircraft finally slowed and stopped, half the front of the plane inside the earth.

Nat ended up in cover behind the crate she'd previously been sitting on, making sure her SMG was loaded and ready. She took a deep breath to keep her heart from pacing, closing her eyes and going to her happy place until she heard the first shot. She jumped out of cover and opened fire at their attackers.

There was eight SUVs total, three to her left and the five to her right nearby the control center. She couldn't reasonably count the number of Aztecas they had to face, but it was enough where Trevor's people were starting to get back into a proverbial corner. All of them were well armed and a few wearing protection, highly skilled and hardened veterans of the criminal lifestyle.

Natalie was just some dumb lackey to Trevor Philips Industries and the pressure was beginning to weight down on her. She managed to shot down at least one on her own, but she had little opportunity to help out much besides just not getting killed.

She had to back up into the hanger as the Azetcas pressed forward. A few of their own people were already shot down and Nat was sure the pilot had been reduced to a bloody pulp from not only the crash landing but the attacking forces.

Natalie locked eyes with an Aztec who sprang up not 10 feet away from her. She barely had time to act before he started firing. Somehow, she was slightly quicker, firing a few rounds just under his neck and the kickback making the rest into her head. She let out some kind of primal sound in triumph but still went backwards to gain her bearings, sure the rest would cover her. She heard a noise behind her and quickly wiped around, but trying to spring to action too late. An Azteca had her and threw her to the ground, him quickly going on top of her with a knife in his hand.

She yelled, trying to catch a teammate's attention to no avail, all the while fighting off the man on told of her. Her legs were pinned and useless, and her arms were useful but at awkward angles. She tried punching and shoving, but her attacks barely made him flinch, the knife was coming closer and her breathing had already stopped.

He grabbed her by her hair and slammed her head back, black stars bursting into her vision and her muscles went slack for a second too long. She felt the blade cut under her eyes and she winced away, causing the knife to drag to her hairline before she found her strength again and forced him back, but still not off of her.

His teeth were barred and eye were intent on hers, ready to see the life drain from her face when he stabbed her through her eye socket. She was losing this fight and she knew it, the knife drawing nearer but slower this time. She was losing hope up until someone found her and shot her attacker through the head. His body collapsed on top of her and for a second she could've sworn she was in Blaine County's National Park again with Evan's dead body crushing her. But she couldn't dwell just now, not with the fight for the shipment still raging.

She got up to meet her savior and found Chef. He looked her over to see if she was alright, before nodding to her, almost to assure she would be fine, and then heading off to drive away the rest of the Aztecas. She was soon to follow, ignoring the stringing pain of the new cut across her cheekbone.

It didn't take long for the remaining Aztecas to pile back into their SUVs and book it back to their home base, leaving McKenzie and bloody mess. There was no time for Trevor's team and the people hiding in the control station to have a breath of relief when their enemies accepted defeat, too busy towing away the bodies littered across the strip and planning their departure before anyone started poking around and causing anymore unneeded issues.

Chef soon returned to Nat after he instructed the others on where to dump the bodies. He tucked his gun away and wiped away the perspiration off his forehead. He gave her concerned, “Do you need to sit down?”

“Why would I need to sit down?” She asked before it hit her, an uneasy, sickly lightheadedness she would get when she used to donate blood. She looked down at herself and saw the trail of blood going down her shirt from the wound on her cheek, she didn't realize it was that deep a cut. She winced and side-stepped to get a hold of the nearby wall to help her keep upright, though it didn't help any with the queasiness.

Chef went to her side and held her up, “Alright, come with me. We'll get you fixed up.”

–

She found herself inside the cook site. One the second floor among all the supplies that kept most of Sandy Shores happy and wired. Chef had called upon an associate to help fix up Natalie, he was already higher than a kite and his hand was unsteady enough to do more damage than good. She was sat up on the table while a middle aged woman who turned out to be a former nurse stitched up her cheek. Natalie was just shy of a concussion so all she really had to worry about was how much cover up she'd have to use when her cut healed into yet another ugly scar.

While the woman taking care of her was busying herself with the stitching, Natalie couldn't help but notice Trevor enter the room. She quickly looked away, pretending to not even notice him, but she feared he already caught her. Natalie sighed softly, causing the nurse to scold her and tell her to stay still. She looked back at Trevor, finding him looking right back at her. She knew that look he gave her all too well, she noticed that a turn on of his was her facing danger and this was no different, he wanted to sleep with her.

She hadn't seen that look of his in awhile, it used to excite her, but now, she was just annoyed about it. She didn't meet him with an kind of acceptance, just a cool glare then looking back to her nurse as she ran over what Natalie had to do to keep her cut infection free.

Unfortunately, she couldn't keep up with her silent treatment when her nurse and Chef made their leave for more important things than the face of some young woman. He ambled towards her casually, nearly ready to take her by her hips and make her his again, but she cut him off, “Where's Patricia?” She couldn't help but keep the acid away from her voice, but she didn't care, she wanted to know she was pissed off at him.

He stopped in his tracks, staring at her for a long moment. She saw a fleeting flicker of sadness cross his face, but he pushed it away, “Gone.”

She hopped off the table, collecting her keys and cigarettes and stuffing them back in her pocket, not bothering to look back at him, “And Michael?”

“Gone too.”

Natalie couldn't help but sneak a glance at her boss, she wondered if he was lonely with everyone gone from his home, she hoped to see if something about his proved her suspicion. She dashed the thought away however, it wasn't her problem, “I have to go.”

His eyebrows furrowed, “Why?”

She shrugged slightly, already heading towards the stairs, meaning to end to conversation as soon as she could, “I have other things to do.”

As she made it downstairs and out of the cook site on her way to her trailer, she was slowly starting to regret behaving in such a rude way. He was her boss after all, and also a man who wasn't big his self-control. She had a feeling he wouldn't lash out in some way that would land her in a grave, but she wasn't sure.

She wasn't sure how long she was going to stay mad at him. Frankly, she did feel a little good that his attention was back on her, but she had too much pride to just let him back in that easy. She wanted Trevor to regret blowing her off like that, totally ignoring her over a kidnapped housewife. She wanted to be the one to reject his advances this time, ignore him for other things just like he did to her. In the simplest terms, she wanted to be as petty as she could.

Natalie made it home safe and she went into her bathroom to check out the new cut on her face. Looking at herself through the mirror, she found it started from from the edge of her ear and stretched all the way to the side of her nose and no amount of fancy makeup work would cover it up in the slightest. How she was going to explain it away to Avery on their date tomorrow, she didn't know, but she had to think of something.

Facing that near death experience really made her consider if dating Avery was a good idea. She was constantly and sometimes willingly in danger and putting someone who was just an average person in a position where he could get harmed in any way wasn't something she was comfortable with. She grabbed her phone out of her pocket, getting ready to dial in his number and cancel their date, but she paused, reconsidering.

It wasn't like she was going to be marrying the guy, it was just one night out. She felt deserved to have time for herself and away from all the mayhem that her job required. Avery was fun, easy-going, and just in general, easy to be around; something she needed more of in her life. Just one date wouldn't do harm and if something did ever come out of it, like the hopes of a relationship, she would deal with it when it came.

–

She chose something simple for her date, although a little nicer than her usual choice of a graphic tee shirt and denim cut off shorts. She went with a button down shirt and shorts that ended a little lower on her thigh, looking in the mirror, she felt slightly dissatisfied with her general look, after another few wardrobe changes, she was back on her original outfit.

They planned to meet at a nearby bar on Route 68 in Harmony, hoping to share a few light drinks and just getting to know each other in a more one on one setting. She was happy to get out of the house for more than just drug trafficking and even happier to spend her time with a man who was anyone but Trevor or the men in her family.

She arrived at the bar a couple minutes earlier than their planned time, finding a spot in the corner that was away from all the business and also had a good view of the front door. Even with this date almost assuredly having no risk, she couldn't help but still use her defensive instincts. Her gun was still on her and she still had an eye out for anything suspicious.

Avery arrived on time, looking around the bar until he found Natalie in the far corner. He smiled when he saw her and she couldn't help but find a smile creep across her own face. He sat across from her in the booth she'd chosen for them just as a chubby blonde waitress took their orders. Conversation between them started out awkwardly, both of them without their outgoing friends to get the ball rolling. But through common interest, chatter between them got easier quickly, as well as the steady supply of beers and fish fry.

After hours of never ending conversation between the two, one of the waitresses eventually told them it was near closing time and they would have to make their leave soon. They finally departed, but still lounging in the parking lot for a few more minutes.

Natalie couldn't help but admire Avery under the glow of the streetlight. He was thin and tall, possibly her weight or even less. With his almost unhealthy looking thinness, his features were sharp, though the strength of his jaw was hidden under his beard. If he cleaned himself up more than his signature stylish unkempt look, he could've possibly modeled.

She came to find out she genuinely did like him, he was so easy to talk to. Even if some sort of relationship didn't blossom from their various dates, he made for a great friend. She suddenly felt his lips on hers. The kiss he gave was short, small, and sweet. There was no need to push it any further and she found she enjoyed it. In all honesty, she hadn't been kissed like that in ages.

When they separated, she could feel the blood rush to her face, she could only hope the light was low enough for him not to see. If she saw her blushing like a schoolgirl he didn't show it, smiling at her and bidding her farewell before he walked back to his own car.

She watched his car leave the parking lot before she got into her own car. She still felt the smile on her face, thinking about how successful their date had been. She was surprised to find she was already excited for a next date, and also a little nervous too.

She made it back home and was already stripping off her clothes before she made it to her bedroom to change into her night clothes. Just as she finished undressing and dressing again, there was a knock on her door, or rather, a loud banging. She jumped a bit at the sudden noise and her heart rate was already skyrocketing. She leapt towards her gun on the kitchen counter, grabbing it tightly in her fist before she slowly stepped to the door. She looked through the eye hole and let out a huge breath in both relief and annoyance. Trevor, great.

She unlocked and opened up the door, making no attempt to hide the handgun, “I could've killed you, y'know.”

He ignored the comment After all, he could easily end her life before she could even think to pull the trigger. He didn't ask for an invite inside, stepping forward on his own accord, forcing her to take a few steps back, “What the fuck is your problem, eh?”

She was caught off guard for a moment, but quickly tried to regain her apathetic mode she had been using on him for the past few weeks, “What are you talking about.”

Trevor jabbed his finger at her, laughing with annoyance, “You know exactly what I'm talking about, Natalie.”

She turned away from him, setting her gun back down and going into her fridge, “Did you come over here just to yell at me?”

He suddenly appeared right behind her, she turned to face him, “Yes I did come over to fucking yell at you.”

She frowned deeply, crossing her arms and trying to look as defiant as she could, “Shouldn't you be worrying about Patricia instead of me?

His eyes boor down into hers, “Why do you care about Patricia?”

“Why do you?” She shot back, suddenly feeling childish.

He didn't speak for a long moment, perhaps trying to size her up, or calming himself so he didn't rip her head off, “You're jealous.”

All her false confidence ran right out the door and was replaced with uneasiness. She was left speechless for a moment, trying to think of something to divert the accusation, but only coming up with, “No I'm not.”

A grin spread on his face, he knew he had her, “Was that what Michael was talking about? You're jealous of Patricia?”

She turned away for him again, trying to hide her humiliation, “Why in the hell would I be jealous of her?”

His irritation grew, “Stop lying to me.”

She was stuck. He already knew and she insisted on lying. Natalie sighed, defeated, “Fine, I was jealous of her. Whatever.”

She expected triumph to come of him, but it didn't, he sat down on her couch, looking up at her, “So, you like me.”

She breathed out of her nose, fighting with herself, trying to find the best way to articulate without pouring her heart out to her boss, “I-I guess.” She shook her head, she could do better than that, “I thought we were friends, Trevor.”

He looked surprised, “Friends?”

She sighed, she couldn't bring herself to look at him, “Yeah, friends. I figured when you spent nights hanging out with me, that made us friends. I just...” She ran her hands through her hair, so much for not pouring her heart out, “Y'know, you're a real asshole for just up and ignoring me completely like I wasn't even there.”

He didn't say anything for a long while and she realized that he actually didn't know what to say. It must not have been often people showed legitimate care for him without also fearing him like Ron did. She slowly began to feel a little bad for putting him in this situation, speaking up again to break the increasingly awkward silence, “Look, next time you decide to act like I don't exist, give me a heads up beforehand, alright?”

There was still silence from him for another moment before he finally answered, maybe this was just as “Yeah... sure.”

She sighed, but smiling ever so slightly at his answer, “Great. Now I do you want to help me polish off the case of beer in my fridge?”

Trevor found his own smile, nodding. She grinned, glad to have things at least somewhat cleared up and him willing to spend time with her once again. There was still some stuff else that needed to be addressed, but that was for a later time, and she'd rather not address her admitted attraction for him just then. For now, all they needed to do was just become friends again and drink like they used to, and when she felt he deserved it again, bed mates.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie must makes some tough changes

Chapter 18

Natalie wasn't going to permit herself to say life had somehow gotten a little easier for her, because that would only allow room for things to once again get much, much worse. But she could hardly deny to herself that breathing came a little easier than before in the day and by nightfall, falling asleep came quicker than it ever had before. Which was a miracle on it's own since insomnia was a bad proven habit of hers since she was a child.

There wasn't just one soul reason for the lighter burden she carried and the skip in her step. First was Trevor; since her confession to something along the lines of a crush, Trevor had noticeably hung around much more. She had stuck to her word that she wanted to wait to jump back into bed with him. He didn't seem entirely bothered either, she wasn't his only card in the deck, after all. The weeks before they started screwing once again, it was still easy to be around each other outside of when they had work.

She was one of the few women in Sandy Shores that wasn't strung out on a myriad of narcotics, so could hold a conversation for more than a few minutes. She was also one of the few mostly sober residents that could stand to be around Trevor, whether it was because of his activities or just the general look and feel about him. In any case, she was the perfect local candidate for a shared drink and to waste spare time with.

Second came Avery. Despite a moral part of her trying its best to convince her it was wrong, she still continued to see him. They had dates nearly every weekend, their dates were never very serious, mostly a restaurant or a bar or even a movie was their venue of choice, often choosing places where they could get their hands on a stiff drink. In between the times hanging out together, they were often exchanging texts and the occasional phone call. Despite them running around like lovestruck teens, Natalie couldn't say she was smitten. Avery first off was just a great guy to be around, the fact that he was attractive was an added bonus.

She put that attractiveness to use on date four. After a full day together exploring the swamplands west of Sandy Shores, they returned to his place out towards wine country. His home was small and surprisingly nice for someone his age, but his job as an IT tech for a major company paid him better than most. Natalie spent little time admiring his home furnishings before she found herself in his room and in his bed.

The brunette had made it a point not to knock boots with him as quickly as she usually did, sex recently seeming to bring dire consequences for whatever reason. But by week four, she had a personal new record and didn't want him to think she just wasn't that into him, when in fact, she surprisingly was more 'into' him than she expected.

The only thing that seemed to be a problem that still lingered in her head was just how far their mutual feelings went. She knew by then that she cared for him beyond that of a one-night-stand or just a friend of a friend, and she was sure that wasn't one-sided. They were approaching date seven this coming weekend and most people would begin to think about what could become of the person they'd been seeing for the past month and a half.

Avery seemed pretty much like most people, which began to worry her. Commitment wasn't her strong suit or something she ever had much of a desire for, especially when it came to total monogamy in a relationship. But above all that, what concerned her the most was that an actual committed relationship with Avery wasn't a terrifying idea as it usually would be. In reality, having him all to herself was actually a pleasant idea. Despite that, the idea still made her squirm where she stood purely out of old habit.

But she could only do what she'd always done, ignore it until she just couldn't ignore it anymore. She had the concept practically down to a science by then.

–

He asked for their seventh date to be at the bar they had their first date at. She marked it down as a place where they could be sentimental, a good place to propose a more one-on-one kind of relationship. She was the first to arrive like she had been the first time they arrived, but this time around she chose a space closer to the bartenders, knowing she would need a steady flow of alcohol to get through the night.

Avery came around not long after, finding his seat beside her and ordering his drink. He soon turned to her, a smile on his face, very pleased to see her and she turned out to be just as pleased to see him, “Hey.”

She did her best to look unaware of what was bound to come, and by the looks of it, he bought it, “Hey yourself.”

His drink came in record time, giving her a few precious seconds before he said what she'd been fearing, “I've been meaning to talk to you about something.”

She washed down the lump in her throat, “Yeah?”

He rubbed his head, his hair looking a little neater than usual, in fact, most his appearance looking a little cleaner. He was trying to score points, this must be serious, “Well, I was offered a job a few days ago, pays much better than I'm getting...”

She was lost, prompting him to continue “Okay...?”

He cleared his throat and kept glancing at almost everything but her, he was nervous. She couldn't help but find it endearing, “Well, this job, it's kinda far away. Like, a couple hours far away. I would have to move.”

She felt herself frown, surprised to find she would miss him.

Avery continued before she had a chance to speak, “Look, I know it would be a huge step and I'll give you all the time you'd need, but I was hoping, maybe, you could move in with me when I accept the job?”

She froze up for a moment, her jaw nearly dropping. She expected a request to take things to the next step, but he instead asked to jump a few steps after that. She hadn't been prepared coming into the bar and now she felt even more so. The look on his face turned from something of childish hope to pessimistic worry as the seconds ticked on with no response coming out of her.

She felt bad for leaving him hanging like that, seeming him slowly lose hope. But if she could only center her brain for one second to actually weigh any of her options options without ending up in a panic, she could give him an answer. 

“I...” She dropped off, prying for something to say but coming up short, she hated being put on the spot like that, even when she knew something like that was coming. Natalie had to respond, she knew that much. But as of now, the only decision she could possibly make was to make no decision at all, “Give me time to think about it alright?”

His shoulders slumped a little, deflated. It wasn't the answer he had hoped would come out of her, but it was a hell of a lot better than just a no. So he put back on a smile, though it looked a little forced, and she returned the smile with a sympathetic one. She couldn't help but take a mental sigh of relief, glad she had more time to think about his request and think about just him in general. Leaving the important decisions for another day, she sipped her drink and looked back at him, “So tell me about your new job.”

–

Natalie was alone in her home, the TV on but playing on mute, everything in her home filled to the brim with an eerie, near deafening silence. She paid no attention to the stark quiet anyways, her thoughts only on Avery and what he had offered. What he had to offer was domestication; a warm home to come home to after a long day at a decently paying job, being greeted by a man who would welcome her with open arms and kiss. But what she saw in all this was a form of hell, a life for the mundane, where people's hopes and dreams went to die in preference of safety and an assurance of a long life.

Nat held no desire for a long life if said life promised nothing she had wanted for so long. She didn't want safety and assurance if that didn't provide her what she would consider adventure. She wanted to explore the world and the many facets of what the moral majority would consider a sinful taboo, whether it be drugs or other hidden pleasures loved by the few. She had gotten a taste of that since meeting Trevor, and despite the impending doom that made it's rounds in her life, she felt she could go further in her career.

But at the same time, her goals brought with them fear, and even though her wants still remained, she wasn't sure if she could stand another time where she'd be held captive by Trevor's enemies. Her time with The Lost was something that never faded away from her nightmares. The terror that she felt for it she still carried in her nub of a finger and it would never truly leave her, she couldn't possibly forget the horror and pain that they tortured her with for a week. And maybe, that, and that alone was as good enough a reason as any other to leave Sandy Shores and what she had craved behind and go off with Avery.

But leaving would be hard even still. She had grown roots in Blaine county, found friendship with Trevor and his associates, found a mother she never had in Janet, and a home she was proud of whether it was behind the bar at The Yellow Jack Inn or the confines of her double-wide trailer. She loved Sandy Shores, and even though she knew she would want to part with it in the future for the exotic worlds, she would miss it. Departing her home for one in a suburb was never in the plan, but with Avery in tow, it didn't seem all too bad.

She looked over at the clock, the day was approaching evening and Trevor would be home by then. She was due to deliver her inventory summary and had been putting it off most the day so she could see her boss. She was hoping to get some kind of insight from him, or perhaps a reason to stay and make her decision a hell of a lot easier. Knowing Trevor, that wasn't going to really happen, nevertheless, she could at least try.

She walked over to his trailer instead of driving, arriving there already having worked up a sweat from the relentless heat. She entered without knocking as was customary by then. She found Trevor with Ron. Trevor sitting on the couch, trying to drink himself into a coma which was a pleasant surprise compared to him usually finding his oblivion in meth. Ron was pacing across the entire trailer, prattling on and on about lizard people invading and trying to swipe the rug right from under TPI's metaphorical feet.

Natalie handed over the file in her hands to Trevor, who barely even looked at it before tossing the folder to the side. Inventory was boring and that's why he paid someone else to do what he would rather not waste time doing. After all, he knew Natalie long enough to trust she wouldn't screw around with his supply.

Nat made herself welcome to his case of beer, Ron seeming almost oblivious to her presence as he continued to drone about the dreaded illuminate. He only stopped when he nearly ran right into her, looking startled to realize she was even there.

She raised a brow at him, a smile on her face, “See something you like?”

That had effectively flabbergasted him, leaving him stammering for something to say. Ron was the picture of someone who didn't have too much experience around women other than the one's inside his computer or in an old girlie magazine. She once heard he was married; it was a shame the woman didn't stick around for a charmer like him.

Trevor was the one to save him from his face turning any redder, “Ron! Don't you have something else to do?”

Ron looked back at his boss, staring for a moment to try and see what he meant. He got the hint that he wasn't wanted and departed quickly, tail between his legs.

Natalie turned back to her boss, “Do you remember be mentioning Avery?”

He raised a ragged eyebrow at him, “The dude you've been screwing?”

She nodded a little, sitting herself on top of his counter, “Yeah, he wants to take things to the next level. As in, me and him moving all the way up to Duwamps.”

“That's pretty far north.”

She sighed, “I know, so if I do move in with him, I can't work for you.” She was trying to send him a hint there, asking him to give her a reason to stay, even demanding she stayed, so she didn't have to choose.

Natalie was given a glimmer of hope from the look on his face. What she said seemed to leave a rather bitter taste in his mouth, or perhaps it was just the beer. Either way a grimace spread across his face, “So you want to leave?”

She could almost detect a hint of defensiveness, perhaps he really didn't want her to go, “I don't know. I was hoping you could shine a light on this.”

He stood up, throwing his empty bottle towards the general direction of his trash bin. He missed by a mile, “If you want to leave, then leave.”

He seemed like he was done talking, the point becoming even clearer when he left his trailer without so much as a goodbye. She frowned, confused at the sudden mood change. She took her beer and tossed it into the near overflowing trash can, grabbing Trevor's discarded bottle and setting it away as well, eventually leaving the trailer.

On her way back to her own home, she still struggled with how she could possibly come up with a decision. But seeing Trevor had definitely helped. There was something between them, that much she knew from their small interaction. It brought her some relief to find that the attraction wasn't purely one sided, or at the very least, he wanted her around.

But was it still enough for her to stay? Staying in Sandy Shores and doing the jobs she was doing was often known for having a rather high mortality rate. Growing so old she couldn't wipe her own ass wasn't ideal to Natalie, but her life being cut before she really lived as much as she wanted wasn't something that was on her list either.

She took a detour. Instead of making it to her own home and chalking it up as a short trip, she ventured towards The Yellow Jack Inn. She knew Janet would be working that day, as she always worked weekday afternoons. Janet could perhaps be the best person to look at Natalie's situation without too harsh of a bias. And it had also proven awhile since she'd properly seen her adoptive mother and she was well due for a visit, at least before she made a decision that could quiet possibly make her move out of state.

The bar had a couple customers as the day was beginning to touch evening, mostly the regulars that found their solace in a stiff drink. Janet was behind the bar as Natalie expected to find her. The red head saw her the moment she walked through the doors, her face lighting up to see that Nat was alive and well, “I wondered when I was going to see you again.”

Natalie grinned at the warm welcome, slipping behind the bar and hugging her old boss. Janet wrapped her arms around her, holding her there for a moment before she pulled away and got a good look at her former employee. Her smile fell a bit to see yet another scar, this one lining her cheekbone. She didn't ask where she got it because she already knew. From work.

Nat ignored the look on Janet's face, not wanting to get on the subject of her safety because it was a losing battle for the both of them. She slipped back out from behind the bar and found herself a barstool right across from her former boss, “I figured I would stop by.”

Janet busied herself with pouring the younger girl a drink, “I can assume this isn't just a social call, right?”

Natalie sighed, suddenly feeling worn out. She grabbed her drink and downed half of it before she threw herself into her tale of crime and budding romance. Sparing no detail of what had happened and what she was feeling. And all in all, it felt therapeutic. She hadn't wanted to bother Trevor with the details of her feelings and hid her life of drugs from Avery and Rebecca. Janet was the only person who could truly get it, listen to her pour her heart out for her to see and do her best to help her pick up the pieces. It would be hard to leave Janet behind if she left.

When Natalie had finished and left with nothing more to speak on, Janet answered, speaking calmly to her, “You really do like him don't you?”

Natalie looked up at her, formerly looking into her glass, “Avery?”

“Trevor.”

A bitterness that didn't come from her drink formed in her mouth, “Is it so obvious?”

Janet sighed, crossing her arms, “Not really, but I know you well enough to know that you don't normally have crushes. And by the looks of it, you got two big ones.”

Natalie held her head and groaned, “What do I do?”

The older woman looked her over, taking pity on a poor girl who was finally feeling lovestruck well after her teen years, “Do what hurts the least, Sugar.”

Natalie hated the answer, but it nevertheless got her thinking. Hurt. It didn't necessarily have to come from the turmoil of emotion. Sometimes pain was as simple as a cut, or a bullet. She was almost sure she had her answer by then.

She got up, feeling a little bit tipsy from her trip to her old workplace, but that was to be expected when you had a few. She went to hug Janet again, hearing the older woman speak again, “If you leave, make sure you give me a proper goodbye, alright?”

She smiled to her and nodded, squeezing her one last time before she departed. On her way back home just as the sun had set and the air was cooling for another cloudless night, she couldn't help but feel sentimental about nights like these that once brought her fear. These would be her last nights in Sandy Shores, after all.

She pulled out her phone and found his number, tapping the call button. Within a few seconds, she heard Avery's voice through the other line, sounding happy to hear from her, “I was just thinking about you.”

“Hey, how soon can I see you?”

–

She lay naked in the back of Avery's car with Avery pressed against her, just as bare as she was. His hand gently tracing patterns along her side. Both of them soaking up the quiet calm that surrounded them, the only sound was their breathing and the faint hum of an old country crooner singing about lost love coming from the radio.

Natalie couldn't help but smile, enjoying the simple touch Avery was giving her and the silence in her head. She looked up at him, pushing the stray strands of hair away from his face. He smiled more, “You're not going to have second thoughts on me are you?”

She smiled, “I'm not planning on it, no.”

He smiled right back at her, grabbing her hand and kissing her knuckles, “Good.”

Natalie pulled herself closer, gently running a hand over his narrow chest. She didn't want to ruin the peace of the moment, but it had to come at some point, “I need to tell you something...”

Avery glanced down to look at her, “That doesn't sound too good. What's up?”

She sat up, breaking the lovely contact between them, “It'd be easier if I showed you. Do you mind if I drive?”

He had no reason not to agree, so he did. After some awkward shuffling between them, their day-old clothes were back on their bodies and their bodies were in the front seats. Natalie started up the engine and looked to him before she drove out of the empty parking lot they stayed at overnight, “Try to keep an open mind?”

She drove the way she was all too familiar with, stopping the car right off the side of McKenzie, a place she knew by heart. Avery was of course confused, getting out of the car with her. As they advanced towards the hangar she turned towards him, “This is where I work.”

Avery looked down at her, looking rather unimpressed by one of Trevor's many base of operation, “Here?”

She took a deep breath, trying to find the will to take that leap of faith, “Yeah. I work for a guy who supplies to most of here and parts of Mexico...” She glanced his way, all this time having trouble looking at him, he was still at a loss, “More specifically, drugs and guns.”

There was silence, a lot of silence. She expected it but it still filled her with fear. She stole another look at him and she saw shock and fear, but fear of a different nature than hers. He was afraid of her and she instantly regretted telling him a thing.

Natalie did her best to try to make it seem not as serious, by lying, “I hardly work with that, I just do security, I don't even touch a gun.” She failed to mention a handgun was in the backpack she'd been carrying with her.

He took a step back, his hands in his hair and nearly ripping it all right off, unable to come up with a coherent sentence, “You-... How have-...”

She tried to put on the most calming voice she could, “It's not that serious, Avery. I've only been doing it a few months.”

He let out a humorless snort, “Months??” He was pacing, she was biting her nails, “Jesus, are you an addict or something?!”

Nat frowned, “No! I don't touch drugs!” She insisted, but it fell on deaf ears.

“Have you killed people, Natalie?!” That shut her up quickly. And that was all the answer he needed, “You're a killer aren't you? God, is that how you lost your finger?”

She hid her hand behind her back, her voice wavering, still trying for some way to make this better, “A-Avery if you let me explain...”

He was backing up towards the car, holding his hand up to cut her off, “Don't bother. You a goddamned killer, Natalie! Did you think you could hide this?”

She certainly wished she did, but it was too late now. She watched him go towards his car, and she was facing the realization that she couldn't just let him leave.

There was a thing about loose ends, they had a tendency to bite you in the ass. It came back and got her good when they kept Evan alive and she was still waiting for the day when ditching her friends at their failed liquor heist knocked her in the head with karmic gusto. There was no doubt loose ends going to be her downfall, as they had brought down champion in her field for generations. So, while the choice was difficult, it was something she had to do to keep her living, so the action came just as quick as the choice.

She only needed to fire once, her hand steady while the rest of her felt on fire. It only took on bullet and Avery was on the ground, everything she knew about him dead and gone. Despite the pain she felt for killing her friend, she knew it was what she had to do. And while she felt crying, she didn't, only silently mourning.

It felt like hours passed as she looked down at the body of her incredibly short-term boyfriend. She tried to grasp at the good aspects of him, to prove to herself she should be more devastated about killing him. She knew wholeheartedly Avery is -was- a good person and that his passing was tragic, but she had no other choice. What if he went to the cops, it could effectively shut the entire operation down. She regretted ever bringing him there or ever thinking anyone outside of her career field would be okay with it.

She turned away, not wanting to look at him anymore. She felt sick to her stomach just by the thought of herself. She hated herself.

Natalie found she wasn't alone, Trevor was by the other side of the hangar. She didn't know how long he'd been there, but she knew it was long enough for him to know she killed Avery and made her final decision. He advanced closer, looking over the body she left behind. It was a clean kill, he would've been dead instantly, it was actually admirable how steady a shooter she was quickly becoming, though this may have been dumb luck.

Despite the pain that was clear on her face, he tried to make light of the situation, “I can't have any more bodies lying around here.”

She looked up at him, “I'll get it cleaned up.” Despite her looking at him, it looked like her thoughts were miles away.

He frowned, feeling something along the lines of sympathy and somewhere in that, jealousy. He could only hope that she looked the same way if she ever had to put him down like a dog, “I can let you take a few days off.”

She shook her head, looking down for a moment, temporarily lost in thought before shaking her head again, that time more for herself, “No, no, I'm okay.” She turned back towards the body, it somehow looking more lifeless than before, she flipped him on his back, wincing at seeing his face, permanently contorted into one of shock. Nat grabbed his wrists and lifted the top half of his body off the ground, “Give me a hand here?”

Trevor obliged, grabbing his feet. They dragged him into the trunk of the car, locking him up tight. Natalie went back into the driver's side, starting up the car, all the while looking robotic with each motion. Trevor did his best to inform her of her next action, “Head down the the Liquor Ace, Chef can take it from there.”

Natalie looked to only be half listening. Staring down at the wheel, she wondered when was killing going to get easier? Trevor did it so flawlessly, she could only imagine how many oceans of blood that dirtied his hands. She wondered if she would ever be like that, kill without moral, without regret. It would almost be better than the hurt she was feeling right now.

She looked back up at Trevor, who was looking right back down at her. She saw something that looked like compassion. It made her feel a little better to know she wouldn't be alone in this. But only a little, “No ones ever going to want people like us, are they?”

She knew purely by the look of his face that he asked himself that same question too many times to count. He shook his head, tapping the top of the car, “No, they're not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this chapter took so long. I literally have no excuse to it, but on the bright side, its the longest chapter yet. I hope you enjoy
> 
> Side Note: Duwamps is the fictional name for Seattle, Washington. A friend coined it for me after they discovered Duwamps was it's former name


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie's loss brings new potential

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> completely off topic to the chapter, but I know Janet's married with kids but i didn't want that so i changed it cause fuck canon amiright

Chapter 19

No amount of showering could get off the feel of Avery's hands lingering on the edges of her skin. And she knew, she was scrubbing herself down for the eighth time in a day. She couldn't deny how horribly she missed being touched so affectionately like that, even if it had only been a short time since then. But the truth was, there wasn't much hope that it could happen again, and it brought such a bitter ache in her chest.

Natalie never thought such gentle affection could leave her feeling so breathless before. But since she had gotten her taste of it, she was left nearly shaking and wanting for more. She couldn't get it now, however, the man who didn't have to adore her body without a sexual intention was most likely in a tub of acid, the last bits of his physical form dissolving away.

What haunted her the most was his face. He had no clue what was coming and she put him down like a feral animal. She left him with no dignity, no time to let him have his final words before he was killed. She regretted killing him the second that bullet went into his head, even if she knew she couldn't have taken any chances, it still hurt to see her have to end the life of someone so innocent. He got mixed up with her and she knew better than to let him do that, but she didn't listen. And she guessed correctly before that being with her could kill him, Natalie just never imagined that she would be the one to end his life.

This whole ordeal only confirmed that Rebecca could never, ever know about what she did for a living. Better yet, Rebecca would be well off just plain not having Natalie in her life anymore. But she couldn't do that to herself, she couldn't deal with the heartache, at least not now. With Avery dying, she knew the best course of action was to avoid those who didn't kill like she did. Natalie was better off alone and that is what she was going to be.

She stepped out of the shower once again and went to the mirror just above her sink. Her naked skin was rubbed so clean it was a raw and angry red in some places. Her discoloration advanced to the bags under her eyes, she hadn't slept since, and even if it wasn't that long ago, the emotional effort she was forced to deal with left her ready to collapse onto her bed. If only she could actually sleep at a time like this.

Her hand grazed over the mark Trevor once made on her shoulder. He treated it almost as a claim to her, but looking at it now, it felt like much more than a nearly morbid carnal desire for a temporary show of ownership. The scar almost felt like a brand, something that branded her to him and the job. It committed her to a life that brought her a lot of pain and misery, but it was the only thing she had that wouldn't go away, like everything else would. She could only ever stay with her job because it was the only thing she had left.

Natalie couldn't stand to look at herself for long. She left her bathroom and found some clothes lying around on the floor. She didn't bother to check the smell, not finding it too important. After finding a pair of shoes to slip on and tucking her handgun into the waistband of her sweatpants, she was out the door.

She just couldn't be alone in her house at the moment. She hoped to find some solace and ease of mind at Trevor's home. The place wasn't particularly therapeutic, but it was her best option besides drinking herself dead. Natalie walked in unannounced, finding Trevor alone in his home, channel surfing on a TV that looked like it was on its last legs.

Trevor didn't appear to mind the intrusion, greeting her with a nod of his head and a faint smile. It was rare to find him alone for too long, usually he had something to do and the people he associated with were never too far away. She didn't think he liked being by himself very much, being alone left him to his thoughts. It was something she dreaded, she could only imagine what a torture it was for him to deal with. Maybe that was why he was so experienced in drug use, so he had something that would let him ignore the fucked up shit.

She went straight for the cabinets in his kitchen, “How much alcohol do you have?”

He turned to her, finding her more interesting than yet another rerun of Republican Space Rangers. Somehow in dirty sweats, she was still amazingly gorgeous, “Not a lot, Ron needs to go on a grocery run.”

Natalie sighed, settling for an alcohol stuffed in the far back that would most likely taste like gasoline. She turned to face him, “You think you can get him to do it now?”

She hardly need to ask. Trevor began yelling at the top of his lungs to get his neighbors attention. She winced at his yelling, but remained quiet as he barked orders for Ron to get his ass into gear. He looked back to her when he was sure that his subordinate was doing as he was told. He could easily tell by the look in her eye she had a lot weighing on her mind. But he knew better than to think that she'd ever want to talk about it. Which worked in his favor because he'd rather not here about her heartache over another man.

He was jealous. He wanted Natalie to care for him like she had Avery. But it proved too late now, he had been too wrapped up in a woman who only saw him as a passing romance, and while he still wanted for her, his craving for Nat was more immediate with her not going away like everyone else had. Maybe she had intended to leave, that was the only conclusion he could draw as to why she would bring Avery to McKenzie. It gave him some kind of deep sinking feeling inside his chest to think that she had every intention to abandon him and now she was stuck in Sandy Shores, Trevor being her last resort.

Natalie didn't see his inner burden, instead interested in a bevy of various prescriptions lined up on his worn down table. She got up, grabbing a bottle of Deludamol and reading over the description. Trevor spoke up when he saw her interest, “If you plan on drinking don't take too many of those. I don't want you OD'ing on my floor.”

She could remember back when she was a teen and she would take them like candy. Deludamol wasn't too hard to come by and if you avoided passing out on them, there was a pretty pleasant high to be had. She hadn't had any in awhile so she took the recommended dose for intense pain. She turned back to him when she was sure all the pills got to where she wanted, “Do you have anything coming up I can help with?”

In fact he did, he had to pick up a shipment in the coming days and he could do with a helping hand in case people started sniffing around and things got hairy. But he knew that people in the state she in was had a habit of making reckless, and frankly suicidal decisions. The last thing he needed was for either of them to get riddled with bullets, “Nothing right now, no.”

She sighed and nodded, having no reason not to trust him. She sampled the bottle she picked out and gagged, right in her prediction that it would taste awful, “Alright, well, let me know.”

Ron was quick to enter the door, carrying bags upon bags of various groceries that Trevor was in need of. He set most of it in the kitchen, but turning to his boss with paper bags stuffed with various drinks. He set them down in front of him, then noticing they weren't alone. He saw Natalie and jumped back a little, seeming nervous, almost scared of her. Natalie had a look that reminded most of a brooding teen. But with the prominent scar carved across her face, she looked a bit more terrifying than that. Like a force to be reckoned with, and while the aesthetic pleased Trevor, it made Nervous Ron a bit more nervous. She only stared back at him, in no mood to exchange pleasantries, but rather annoyed that he was looking at her for so long.

She grimaced, grabbing the bag, picking out the first thing she could get her hands on. She was already feeling a bit drowsy from the medication, but ignored it as she went back to the kitchen and grabbed herself a relatively clean glass while the boys talked for a short while. She didn't pay them any attention as she poured herself a drink, downing half of it within seconds. She felt the familiar burn run down her throat and took a breath before she finished up the rest.

It probably wasn't a good idea to be drinking when she was already so depressed, but the opportunity to kill off a few brains cells and hopefully memories was something she couldn't pass up. Ron left quickly when Trevor told him to screw off. She turned back to her boss when the door closed, finding him watching her. She handed over a drink she made for him, “I don't like drinking alone.” She stated simply, sitting herself back down beside him.

He wasn't one to pass up a drink. Accepting it, but not downing it as vigorously as she had. He peered over at her from the brim of his glass. He hated seeing her so gloomy, it only brought back his own darker moods, “You can have that bottle of Deludamol.” He thought for a second, “Just don't go crazy with it.”

She gave a short laugh that held no humor, “Why would you care?” When he didn't answer she glanced over at him. There was concerned on his face, and she realized he actually would care, very much so, “Okay, I won't.”

Conversation was slowing to a standstill. Natalie too wrapped up in the images of the monster she was becoming to see how much Trevor wanted her to be concerned about him. There was a long, uncomfortable silence that rested heavy between them, making his heart race and hers feeling like it was giving out. She finally cut through it with a question, something that weighed tons more than it sounded, “Was it hard when you first killed someone?”

It was a hard question to answer, because the answer, that was simple, but the explanation ran miles. He was a product of America's worst, raised on the backs of bad people who couldn't pretend to care and running with people who would gladly kill him for their next high. When he first took a life all those years ago, it was true, he felt nothing for the corpse. But only because he had been conditioned to be a killer, “No.” She deflated, suddenly feeling awful for not only being a killer, but a bad killer at that, “But it's different. You're a good person.”

Her frown deepened, “I don't feel like a good person.”

He didn't know what to say. He had no way of proving to her that she was still a decent human being, but just wrapped up in the wrong kind of crowd. Even if he did, he didn't want to tell her that the best advice he could give her was to leave and never look back, even though she very well should. He wanted her there, because she was the only one who put up with him without fear, because she was the only one who saw him as human and not some kind of savage.

She was watching him as he waged a war on himself. She was bringing him down and it only made her feel worse. But instead of blaming herself and continuing on her inner turmoil, she wanted to touch him. More importantly, she wanted to touch him the way she wanted so desperately to be touched. But she hesitated. If she brought herself to reach out and wrap her arms around him like she wanted, was she sure that she wanted to do it because she wanted him, or just wanted a person.

She hesitated no longer, reaching to him and cupping her hand against his cheek, feeling the thick stubble. He was caught off guard, watching her warily, not sure if he should believe the intention he thought she was conveying. He felt her mouth fall on his, lips pressing against his own hard. His hands were on her in an instant, pulling her closer and spilling the remainder of her drink in the process.

She parted with him just as quickly as she kissed him, leaving them both wanting more. But she had to be sure he knew what she meant by this, that she didn't intend to just take him to bed, though if they did end up there that was fine too. But she wanted him to see that she wanted feeling, something she had once hated, but now needed. Their lips were mere millimeters away from each other, aching to kiss again, but waiting for the other to begin and relieve the tension that was crackling between them. Natalie was the one granted that relief, kissing him again and soon she found herself on his lap. His hands went under her shirt, his fingertips pressing hard into her back, sending shock waves under her skin that made her chest tighten.

They were left breathless when they parted. Searching each others faces to find more of the affection they wanted. They found what they were looking for, yet intrusions from Trevor's head came through, “You were going to leave weren't you?”

She froze for a moment, but unable to lie, “Yeah...”

Dread went through him, but he only held her tighter, leaving her barely able to move, “Don't do that again.”

She had no intention to by then. She wanted a home here, after all. And she couldn't quit when things got difficult like she wanted to. Sure staying here would bring hurt, but it was going to make her stronger, she just had to survive. Being near Trevor made it all seem easier. He had it figured out after all, having millions tucked away in bank accounts, with funds and people at his disposal. But still, why was he so unhappy?

Trevor had been acting a bit off tonight. He was quieter, more vulnerable. She remembered Ron and Wade once telling her that when Trevor would huff gasoline, he wasn't entirely himself. Or perhaps he was the version of himself hidden among the jumble of drugs. They admitted they'd hardly seen him in such a state, which they were grateful for. Trevor was scary on his own, but nothing was more terrifying than watching their boss wish for death.

She didn't want him to feel like that, but he was in the throws of his high, there wasn't much of anything she could do. She had kissed him again, lips pressed hard against his. His whole body responded eagerly to hers, tensing when he felt the tip of her tongue lightly grazing his lip. They knew he wanted more than a bit of kissing, but her body was relaxing, her hands not as tight on him, her kissing turning gentle.

He pulled apart to look at her. Her eyes didn't hold much focus on his. She was high and drunk and dead tired. A smile cracked on his lips, taking pity on her despite his steadily increasing hard-on. Without another word he lifted her up, a small yelp escaping her lips, her arms wrapping around his neck tightly.

He carried her over to his bed, laying her down. She refused to let go of him however, dragging him down onto the bed with her. She held him close, their faces inches apart from each other, “Are you going to fuck me now?”

As appealing as the idea was, he had to refuse, “Maybe later, Natalie.”

She accepted it, nodding slowly and burying her face into the crook of his neck, a hand slipping down to his waist, thumb gently stroking his skin. He could feel her breathing against his neck slow as she found a comfortable sleep beside him.

–

When she had woken up, she was alone in bed. She felt drowsy still and a slight headache pumping through her brain. She sat up, realizing she wasn't in her own home. With a quick look over, she saw she was still in Trevor's home. She remembered what happened last night, how everything seemed so out in the open.

It brought a smile to her face to remember how Trevor showed that he wanted her around like that. She could only hope he was in a better mood today. She got up and found he wasn't in the trailer, she grabbed her phone to see if he had sent her anything only to see that her inbox remained empty. It made her slightly nervous. She was afraid that last night had been a fluke and not to be taken seriously. But Natalie dearly wanted it to be serious, even if she just lost a relationship.

Just as she was about to leave Trevor came right through the door. Based purely on his posture, she knew he was back to his normal mood. But the way he looked at her was different, he was angry, almost hurt, “You haven't left yet?”

It took her a second to process his attitude. Taking a step back since he was so dangerously close to her, “I was just about to...” She paused, before shaking her head and gaining her composure, “Wait, what's going on?”

He pushed past her, making her stumble back a little bit. She got her courage from that, “Trevor, what the hell?!”

He turned on his heel to face her again, his eyes wild, “What the hell?? What the fuck do you mean by that?”

She frowned, “Jesus Christ, Trevor. I don't even know what the fuck is going on!”

He jabbed a finger at her, “What's going on is that you thought you could use me as some rebound. Well, fuck you, Natalie. I'm not going to be your second best.”

She had to pause a moment to realize everything. She had killed Avery only a short while ago, and there she was last night already trying to hop into bed with Trevor. It really did seem like she was just using him to get over her loss. And she really had to think for a second. But the answer was clear to her, it was so much more than that.

“You're not my second best. I came onto you because I like you!”

He gave out a harsh laugh, “Oh yeah, just how you liked Avery, right?”

She winced, feeling suddenly smaller, “Don't say that.”

“That's it right? It's about Avery. You were gonna run off with him and you're stuck with me.”

She caught a second wind, if he was going to bring up others, she could play the same game, “What about Patricia? As soon as she left, you were right back trying to fuck me. So I guess by your reasoning, I was a rebound, right?”

He was on the defensive now, “That's different.”

“It's not, Trevor! Jesus, what are you so pissed off about? Are you trying to ruin this before it even starts?”

He glared, “Before what starts?”

Natalie ran a hand through her hair roughly, “God, I don't know. Something more than this! Something more than using each other for sex and pretending we don't give a fuck about each other! Trevor, I fucking care about you and I know you do too or you wouldn't be acting like this!”

He was silent, looking her over. Trying to see if she was really being honest about everything. It was hard to tell.

She continued when he didn't answer, taking a breath and speaking calmly, “Trevor, I want to know what we are.”

“What we are?”

She sighed, still so annoyed with all of this, “Yes, what are we going to do now? What do you want, do you want me to leave?”

It was a question she didn't really want to ask, but it was the only one she could make. She feared Trevor's answer, because she was going out on a limb here and if he rejected her now, there was really no telling what damages could happen.

His eyes were on her, his mouth in a hard line as he fought with himself. She could see the anger slowly draining away from him. And after what felt like ages, he finally spoke, saying just one word, but it was just what she wanted, “No.”

Natalie waited for him to make another outburst. When none came she took a breath, her shoulders relaxing, she hid the smile that tried its damnedest to come out, “No? Then come over here and kiss me.”

He didn't need to be asked twice, thinning the space between them until his mouth was on hers again. Her back was soon on the door, taking what was now his. He parted only for a second, “If you use me I'm going to kill you.”

She smirked against his mouth, her fingers digging into his back, “Shut up.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sex and drugs minus the rock and roll

Chapter 20

She was in a room full of people who were complete strangers to her, but by the way they were all behaving towards her, they could have been lifelong friends. Natalie had gotten access to a house party by paying her way in through the front door. Twenty dollars didn't seem like much, but it was just enough to grease the pocket of the host.

She had been plotting to get into this party for a week now, the hipsters were in full swing this time of year on account of the mass amount of music festivals being held in the desert side of San Andreas. The indie crowd young and old needed their own kind of fuel to survive through their weeks of crowded spaces and shitty music. The fuel usually being niche drugs and cheap beer, and Natalie's boss and new boyfriend Trevor had niche drugs by the dozen.

As much as he hated the soul sucking crowd, he couldn't deny that there was definitely a market to be had. So Natalie opted to disguise herself as one of them and immerse herself into their devil-may-care antics.

She played the part of Leslie Harper, a barely legal teen who ran away from home at sixteen, who had enough streets smarts and know-how to know exactly where all the 'good stuff' was to be found this side of Blaine County. The party-goers were instantly enthralled by Leslie, wanting to know exactly who she was and how she managed to look so 'too cool to care', something these millennials aspired to be with every fiber of their being.

But she shared little about herself, not wanting them to know under that thick coat of makeup and the long, black wig that there was a woman there simply to line her pockets with their money in exchange for the hefty supply of narcotics she had strapped to her back.

Beginnings started off slow, with her pulling lonely people aside and selling them a gram, telling them to spread the word. But when the talkative crowd got word of their very own narcotics vending machine, her name was being dropped every which way. The young and excitable and the old and bored flocked to her for their very own taste, and her product was great. So one-time customers soon became second-time customers so they could hoard a good amount for the road ahead. She was near selling out by three hours.

When the buyer crowd was beginning to lull to a standstill, she found herself sat on a couch with four other people crammed beside her, Natalie being the only remotely sober person out of the rest. They all were enthralled in their various substance abuses and talking wildly about parties come to past. But Nat was barely paying any attention, instead staring off, thinking of the profit she had made and what next she could do to get that money ball rolling again.

She barely even noticed when a rolled up dollar bill got shoved into her face. The owner of said dollar bill was a girl the age Natalie was pretending to be, who she vaguely remembered to be named Ramona, “Wanna try?”

Natalie looked to her smiling face then back at the dollar bill, “Hm? What?”

Ramona giggled, which would've been cute on her if she didn't look like she'd been awake for a week, “Coke, dude. Want to try it?”

Natalie's attention went to the coffee table in front of them. Set out was a CD case and a razor, along with several perfectly made white lines. Several other had already had their try at it.

Natalie didn't have much experience when it came to cocaine. When it came to drugs as a bratty teen, no one had the means to get their hands on it, so the went with whatever was locked up in their parents bathroom cabinet. And even now, Trevor didn't sell coke. Coke was the caviare of drugs after all, and there wasn't much need for high class in class-less Sandy Shores.

But Natalie saw no reason not to try, she was adventurous of course. It looked like the market was tapped out here for the night so she was planning on leaving soon anyways. She shrugged carelessly, taking the dollar out of the Ramona's hand. She leaned down and did what she'd learned from the countless mafia movies she watched. She could only manage to snort half a line before taking a breath, but she didn't back down at that, finishing up the rest of the line.

When the powder hit her nose and traveled down to the back of her throat, the first thing she noticed was a burning sensation. It wasn't pleasant, but at the same time in wasn't unbearable. There was a chemical taste in the back of her throat as the stuff made its way down into her system. She plugged up the nostril she hadn't used and sniffed up the residue left in her nose before turning back to the girl.

The girl was grinning from ear to ear, taking her dollar back when she was sure her new friend Leslie was done, “Well? What do you think?”

Natalie felt around in her own head for a second. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary, she was a little buzzed, but that was only because she had a couple beers, it must have been some cheap shit or just hadn't hit yet, “I'll get back to you on that.”

She left the couch at that to seek other company around the house. Before she stepped into the home turned temporary night club, she had never met a single soul here. Being here for only a couple hours however, everyone seemed to know her. Several had asked for a phone number so they could party with her later, but she gave them all fake numbers. She didn't care for their friendship to continue outside of this party and she wasn't looking to be a full time dealer either, honestly, with her minimal experience, it was a wonder she was making bank.

Natalie slipped into a empty bathroom and locked the door behind her. She turned to the small mirror hanging just above a shabby sink. She barely recognized herself when she did an inspection to see if she still looked alright, the jet black wig made her look paler and was about 5 inches longer than her actual hair. Her makeup did a good job on covering the bags she wore under her eyes. Although it didn't do much to hide the scar on her cheekbone, but she didn't expect it to help anything that harsh.

She found herself staring into her own eyes through her reflection, surprised to see her pupils dilate almost instantly. The coke must've owned a long fuse because she was feeling it now. And she was feeling great. She suddenly found the bathroom not that interesting after all and went right back to the party. The people she once only had a mild interest in now seemed like the most fascinating people in the world and she felt just as amazing as them. She was actually happy to be there other than to take their money.

She was soon to meet back up with the girl who let her have a hit. The girl was still smiling and Natalie was sure that her face was probably aching by then, but then again she had to have been out of her mind on a cocktail of drugs by then.

Ramona girl shot up like lightening when she saw her friend, quickly maneuvering through the crowd to meet her halfway. She grabbed Natalie by the arms, her fingers shaking as she gripped onto her, “Well??”

Natalie laughed, barely bothered about the girl's lack of understanding about personal space, “I see what you mean.”

Ramona seemed ecstatic to hear it. She grabbed Natalie's good hand and dragged her back to the couch to take another hit with her. Neither had no qualms about double dosing, or even triple dosing, and that's exactly what they did. Natalie was feeling great, better than she had in a long while. Avery wasn't even in her mind then, which was surprising since he often occupied her thoughts.

Conversation came easy to Natalie now, she felt powerful and downright perfect and she had only the coke running inside her system to thank. But even though she was fascinated about how much of dick the girl's ex boyfriend was, she couldn't help but notice the girl's bag being left unattended in the corner of the room. It was stupid of her to leave it there really, especially since she'd been bragging all night about how she was the best person to reach if you needed a fix.

Natalie looked out the window on her right to see it was sunrise. Shit, she didn't expect to be here that long. She looked at her phone, three texts from Trevor and a missed call. Double shit.

She made up some lame excuse to pardon herself out of the conversation. Heading towards the way out. She stopped just short of the bag the girl was paying no attention to. Natalie did a general look around to make sure she was unnoticed before snatching it and making a beeline out the front door.

Natalie jogged over to her car parked not far from where the house party was. Hopping in and taking a breath, she was really going to feel this later.

Her hand was soon back on her phone, opening up the texts first. Reading them out:

Come over when ur done

Where r u?

Natali, pick up ur fone.

She whined, not even bothering to check the voice mail he left for her, already having a good guess on what he would probably be yelling at her about. She tossed her phone, grabbing the bag she stole instead. The bag was a knockoff of a Ponsonbys, and a cheap one at that. But she didn't entirely care, she was more interested in what was was inside.

Held inside was a multitude of the girls possessions. A cell phone, two cell phones in fact, why she needed two was beyond her, but those would make her a good bit of money to sell. Loose change was scattered around the bottom along with a few receipts from various gas stations. A wallet holding several most likely expired credit cards and about seventy dollars in cash, pocketing the cash immediately.

And finally, exactly what Natalie had been looking for. She found three prescription bottles half full of various over the counter pill sure to promise a good high. Then another, much larger pill bottle that was labeled vitamins, but when Natalie opened it up and looked inside, there definitely weren't any vitamins to speak of. The bottle was stuffed to the brim with balloons filled with coke.

She couldn't help but grin at the stash she just nicked. Ramona was probably going to be kicking herself for weeks for losing what Natalie just gained, but Natalie couldn't care less. She set the bag in her passengers seat and started up the car. It wheezed to life and she drove the couple miles back towards Sandy Shores.

The sun had risen by the time she was nearing her destination, the morning sun promising another scorcher. She pulled into Trevor's dirt driveway and killed the engine. His Bodhi was haphazardly parked outside, some of his wire fencing mangled under the front tires.

She shook her head and tsked to herself softly, heading up the porch and through the always unlocked front door. Trevor sat inside, looking drunk and bitter, standing the moment she walked in. He wiped the residue of his beer off the thick stubble on his chin, “Where were you?”

Natalie gave him an even look, not willing to deal with his sour mood when she was coming down, “It's nice to see you too, Trevor.”

He had a grimace on his face, stepping closer to her, invading her space. His voice was harsh, making her wince slightly, “Don't sass me.”

She gave a heavy sigh, removing her wig and setting it on the counter before turning to face him, “Trevor, I'm here now, and I'm very tired. Can we talk about this later.”

Natalie turned towards his bedroom, but he blocked her path. She saw his hand was tight on his empty beer bottle, any tighter and it would surely break in his fist, “Who were you with?” He demanded, his voice getting louder.

She did her best to remain calm, not wanting to escalate the situation any more than it already was, “I was selling, like you told me to.” She paused for a moment, having to think exactly why he was so mad, “What do you think I was doing?”

He scoffed, “Who knows! I mean, when my girl is out all night looking like that anything can happen.” She would be flattered by the off comment if he wasn't currently yelling at her. His hand snaked onto her chin in a flash, forcing her to look him in the eye. His eyes bore into hers, watching her for a second, “You're fucking high. We're you stealing from me??” He accused.

She jerked her head away, taking a step back, “I'd never steal from you, I'm not stupid, Trevor! Jesus, some girl offered me a little something and I tried it out. No big fucking deal.” If he was going to be acting like that she would be better off crashing at her own place. She reached for the backpack from her shoulder and shoved it into his hand, “Here, I made a couple thousand. Call me when you're done being a dick.”

She turned back to the front door, ready to make her leave before Trev spoke up again, “Wait.”

She groaned, sounding childish before turning once again, “What?”

He didn't look so pissed off now, “You made all this?”

She shrugged slightly, crossing her arms over her chest, looking far less in a good mood since the beginning of this conversation, “I told you I would.”

Trevor didn't seem so pissed now, but then again, money had that effect on people. He tossed the backpack to the couch and moved closer to her, leaning down and kissing her.

If that was his sign that he wasn't mad at her anymore, then she accepted it, glad she could diffuse that bomb. She kissed him back, letting her stress leave her body, she pulled apart after a moment, “Can I sleep now?”

He looked her up and down, his eyes lingering on her chest, letting out a faint hum of enjoyment, “No, not yet.”

She whined, but still let him wrap his muscled arms around her waist and pull her closer, “Trev, I'm tired.”

He leaned down and kissed her, he cursed her for being so short, “You're always tired.”

She smiled a little, kissing him back, “I don't know what to tell you, babe.”

Natalie couldn't really fight it anymore, not that she wanted to. As appealing as falling asleep was to her, Trevor was a bit more interesting. Before they could get the ball rolling, she lead him to his bedroom.

He smirked as both of them fell on the bed, Trevor hovering over her, “You better not fall asleep on me.”

She had her arms around his neck, bringing him closer, “I wouldn't dream of it.”

Trev apparently didn't want to talk much more than that, his hands were already on her shirt, pulling it off of her in seconds. He thanked the gods above she decided to go bra-less that day. He mouth lowered to the scar he once made on her neck, his mouth pressed hard against the scar tissue. She let out a soft breath, her fingers running though his hair and one of her legs snaking around his hips, so their crotches rubbed so pleasingly together.

Their lips were back together, Natalie regaining her energy from him. There was no such thing as gentle with Trevor and she loved that about him. Their lips pressed hard against each other, sure to leave bruising when they were done. Natalie's tongue lightly grazed his bottom lip, his entire body tensed up at that, a hand moving to roughly cup her breast.

Her chest arched into his hand, letting out a needy moan. She couldn't help but have her nails claw into his back as kisses turned to bites on her neck. He was more than pleaed to hear her whimpers and moans fill his ears like music. He wasted no time unbuttoning her shorts and jerking them off her legs, throwing them to the side. By the looks of it, she chose to go full commando that night and it only got him more riled up.

Trevor put his hand in between her legs and she all but squealed at the feel of his calloused hand pressed against her most sensitive area. She bit her lip to keep herself quiet, but let go of her kiss swollen bottom lip when his fingers pressed against her clit. She gasped and shivered, her hips almost instantly jerking upwards. He didn't stop when he got the reaction he wanted however, using two fingers to rub her in just the right way.

She panted softly, her hips rolling upwards to get more of the friction she just desperately wanted. She could feel his smile against her skin, excited to see her react so well to every simple touch he provided her.

He only stopped when he heard the words he wanted to hear. Her entire body was tense, her arms around him, holding onto him for dear life. He heard her desperate, needy whisper as he began to pump his two fingers inside her, “We need a condom.”

Those were never too far away. She broke contact him for a few painful seconds, rolling over on her stomach and grabbing an wrapped condom off the floor. She reached back and handed it over to him, prompting him to get her from behind. He preferred seeing her back when he was drilling into her anyways, it allowed him to get a good look and hold of her ass while his other hand knotted into her hair, which was one of his favorite parts about her.

He took the condom from her and undid his zipper, his hard-on springing free. He slid the condom it onto his length like he had a thousand times before, grabbing her hips to get a good hold of her as he positioned his head right at her entrance. She raised her rear up a bit and felt every bit as his cock slid fully into her.

“Ooh, fuck.” Trevor hissed through his teeth as the wet, warm feeling wrapped around his shaft.

She let out a soft, breathy moan as he thrust into her at an even pace, feeling every inch of him inside her. Natalie's whole body ignited with blinding want as he seemed to press deeper and deeper into her and he was edging near the same feeling.

Natalie's hands balled to fists and gripped tightly into the bedsheets underneath their sweating and hot bodies. She was moaning and whimpering, cursing the feeling of bliss her was supplying her. One had was tight on her hip, bringing her closer as her rutted into his, his hips smacking loudly into her rounded rear. His breath came uneven and heavy, feeling her tighten around his shaft as he hit her sweet spot just right.

Trevor felt her hips rock back against him in a greedy attempt for more. He gave her just what she needed, his fingers gripping tighter into her skin, gritting his teeth as we pounded into her unevenly as he was nearing his climax.

He would be damned if he came before her, though. Reaching down and grabbing tight into her hair, forcing her deeper on his cock. She cried out at the pure ecstasy, almost unable to breath it felt to good. She was drawing closer to her own orgasm when she felt his hand slide back down to her core, fingering her as her pressed into her. She soon found release, her orgasm fueling blissful shock waves to resonate through her.

She was gripping onto his cock tightly as she came, it was enough to drive him over the edge, giving one last final buck into her before he came hard, legs trembling. He couldn't hold himself up for long, flopping on the bed beside, trying his hardest to catch her breath as she did the same. Her body relaxed totally, unable to even keep her eyes open by then. She hardly needed to worry about her insomnia since dating Trevor, he wore her out plenty.

Natalie heard him sit up, taking off the condom and tossing it in the waste bin, “I'm leaving tonight for Los Santos.”

He frequently did, having business there as she understood it. However she didn't like him being there. His home base was a rather sleazy strip club, and while she had faith in him not to go screwing around with anyone else, she still wasn't entirely fond of the idea of him being up close and personal with half naked girls, “I'm coming with you.” Was all she could mumble out.

He didn't argue with her, leaning down and pecking her before getting back up to surely get lit again.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just read the chapter, bad things are happening

Chapter 21

The desert side of San Andreas was promised the blessing of rain later in the day. Sandy Shores and its neighboring towns hadn't seen so much as a cloud in the sky in the past few days and they could only hope the incoming showers would relieve them of the triple digit heat they had been suffering through for far too long now.

Although the hopes of cooler weather sounded so sweet, it put a damper on Natalie and Trevor's plans to make it down to Los Santos. They had a short time to make it from Sandy Shores to Los Santos, but then the rain would hit, and no one would want to be in the Bodhi while it was pouring. So they had only one real option and that was to stay in LS for the night. Nat only hoped that they could fine a semi decent hotel instead of crashing on that disgusting couch in the Vanilla Unicorn.

Natalie didn't mind spending her time in the city, but she knew Trevor wasn't much of a fan and it was safe to say he would be in a sour mood for most of their stay. Especially considering Michael would be there too, and with their recent falling out, things didn't look too nice in terms of their relationship. But as of now, his attitude was a bit easier than expected. He had told her that he needed to see some people about a score but didn't say much else about it and she didn't want to pry, but she could guess that it made him a bit anxious, his fingers were twitching and his eyes were focused and she had been seeing him long enough to know that purely wasn't because of his high.

She watched him carefully on their ride to the city, seeing him nervous made her nervous as well. She hadn't seen him in such a way before and it was incredibly concerning. Anything could make that man think twice was certainly a force to be reckoned with. Finally she couldn't stand the anxiety anymore and turned down the radio, turning to him, “Is this about your score?”

He looked at her from the corner of his eye for a moment, it'd been the first time he laid eyes on her since they got into his truck, “Is what?” His voice sounded tense, as if he was holding back a large secret.

“Why you're stressed out.”

Trevor let out a loud bark like laugh, “Yes, that's exactly why I'm stressed out.”

She winced ever so slightly while a grimace spread across her face. His mood was already turning foul and she didn't have the patience to tolerate it quite yet. She grabbed a pair of sunglasses lying on the dashboard and pushed them onto her face just as the sun hit her eyes. If she was going to get anywhere with him she would have to soldier on, “Do you want to talk about it?”

He grunted, “No.”

She expected that to be an answer, as crazy as he was, he could get fairly predictable. But she pressed on anyways, “What are you hitting?”

He didn't respond at first, and it lead her to believe he either didn't hear her or clammed up entirely. She was ready to repeat herself when he finally answered, “Union Depository.”

She blinked, moving her glasses lower on her nose to get a better look at him, her voice was one of disbelief, “Excuse me?” When he didn't answer this time around after what seemed like ages of silence, she was almost speechless. Almost, “Are you serious?!”

“It's fine.” He said dismissively, even though the subject matter was anything but casual.

She was quick to figure out why he kept it a secret. She knew well enough that casing places wasn't anything uncommon for him, but robbing something like the Union Depository, that was insane. Trevor didn't want to tell her because it would worry her, even though she was well passed worried. The feeling in her chest made her want to scream at him, demand he think straight for once and see that this was suicide he was talking about. But her mouth couldn't utter the words, although she didn't need to say much of anything for him to already feel her distress.

As they finally entered the outskirts of the city, Trevor's eyes went to her once again, his face was hard, but otherwise unreadable. But he didn't say anything, still waiting for her to blow up, but that time never came. Natalie was quiet, and both of them we're grateful for the radio that saved them from the dreaded silence.

She took a deep breath to collect herself, finally breaking at least a little bit of the tension, “Just... please don't get killed.”

He didn't respond but he didn't need to, because Natalie already had the answer; there could be no promises. Something like this, something as big as this. These could very well be his final few days and he didn't even plan on telling her. Natalie reached for him and took his hand in hers, something that caught him by surprise. She held his hand tight, her thumb stroked over his tattooed knuckles. It was all she could do about any of this, besides hope for the best. But her thoughts still remained dreary, like the incoming storm.

The physical storm that was ready to swallow up Los Santos and the beginning drizzle hit just as they car pulled into the dimly lit parking lot just outside of the Vanilla Unicorn. They both hurried to the front before the rain went through their clothes.

As they ventured inside, Natalie was reminded again why she wasn't a fan of Trevor's most legitimate business. The air always smelled of strong whiskey and peach flavored candy, the decorating was dark and tacky and the people who visited were unsettling to say the least, all of it combined made her nauseous. However the girls were nice enough and it almost made this place decent alone, but perhaps they were only good to her because she was their boss' girlfriend.

Trevor and Natalie went to the dressing room where Cheetah was working on her makeup and body glitter before her night shift started up. She turned in her chair when they entered, “There's a couple of guys waiting for you in the office, Mr. Philips.”

They easily assumed it to be Michael and Franklin, and quite possibly Lester if he wasn't feeling too bad today. She chose to let the boys be by themselves while she hung around in the dressing room, not wanting to bother them while they were talking about something so important.

She turned to Trevor and kissed his cheek, “We'll talk about it later, okay?”

He nodded ever so slightly, though not looking very happy about it. When Trevor left to meet up with his crew is when Natalie turned to Cheetah. She was one of the few girls around here that Natalie had hung around with when she tagged along with Trevor. Cheetah had taken a liking to her and despite not having much in common, the clicked pretty well, enough for Cheetah to insist that she call her by her real name; Lindsey.

Lindsey raised a perfectly plucked, thin eyebrow at her. With her years of having to guess when men were about to do something really shady, she could read people like a book, “Is something going on with you two?”

Natalie dropped her bag on the vanity and sat in a vacant chair, “Kinda, it's complicated.”

Lindsey's focus fell on Nat's bag for a moment before her attention went back on her circumstantial friend, “Is it because of that?”

Natalie's gaze went to her bag as well, a balloon of coke she had stolen from that girl at the party was edging out of the bag. Natalie stuffed it back in, “No, that's new.”

“New?”

She sighed, “As in, I just tried it for the first time last night.”

A small smile creased her face, “Enough for you to buy that much?”

She shook her head, leaning back in her seat. It felt weird to talk about drugs out in the open with her, perhaps she wasn't all that used to the life yet, “No, I stole that.” Natalie saw the sudden look of worry on Lindsey's face, “But it's fine, girl wasn't smart enough to have it in the first place.”

She watched Nat warily for a moment, probably trying to feel around in her own gut to see if it really did check out as safe. She finally seemed satisfied after a moment, “So, I assume you liked it?”

Natalie smiled, letting out a soft laugh, “Yeah, just a bit.”

Lindsey seemed to slowly tense, fidgeting, “You wanna try it out before I start my shift?”

Now, Nat was no expert, but she knew what an addict looked like when they were faced with their poison of choice. But she was in the business of providing and had no qualms about helping the habit amongst friends. She pulled the little balloon right back out and handed it over to her friend, who would know what to do, “Sure, go ahead.”

She had her set up down to an art form. Within a few brief minutes she had a few rails lined up on a little mirror Lindsey always kept with her. Natalie provided the dollar bill when she was offered the first hit. She snorted the line closest to her, and when that got to where it needed to go, she snorted up another through her other nostril and then handed the bill over to Lindsey.

Lindsey took her turn and waited a moment to feel out how good it actually was. She shook her head, a dissatisfied frown crossing her makeup caked face, “Not very pure. Not at all.”

Nat felt a bit bad about that, not that she stood behind the product she took, but because just this was already making her feel quite peppy. Linds spoke up again as she was already cutting up another couple lines, must not have been THAT bad, “If you ever want any of the real shit, I know a guy or two who can point you in the right direction.”

She was handed over the bill again, prompting her to take another bump. So now she had access to more than what was stuffed in her bag, it was safe to say she was taking this seriously. That was quick. But considering the drugs that we're trafficked by Trevor, it wasn't entirely too bad to find a friend in cocaine.

After another hit she was reminded why she even decided to steal it in the first place. She felt good, the stress she felt over Trevor's score was pushed into the back of her head now and this club didn't seem all that filthy anymore.

Lindsey couldn't stick around however, she was already late for her shift so she was forced to let Nat enjoy her high on her own. She didn't mind, Natalie herself had some catching up to do on bills and other various needs. It would have been pretty easy to do if she didn't have a dire need to want to talk to everything and everyone. But she knew better than to try to strike up a conversation with anyone out in the main lobby.

So she stuck with catching up with Rebecca, a name and face she hadn't thought of in awhile. Natalie hadn't approached anything near normal since she killed Avery. And while she intended to really think about keeping Rebecca safe and away from her, that didn't cross her mind now.

Becca and her boyfriend were doing great and they were finding their own little place in the paradise of suburbia while Becca was practicing to be a veterinary assistant. It was the formula for a happy and long life, one with little pain so long as everything went smoothly, and it usually did for people like them. It would really put a damper on their American dream when they found out Natalie was a killer.

The door to the office flew open and Trevor came right through to meet up with her. He gave her a quick, firm kiss before his attention went to the vanity behind her, “Been busy?”

She didn't even have to turn around to know that he was talking about the remainders of the coke. Shit. She'd hoped to clear that away but got distracted, and he didn't look incredibly pleased with the concept.

She found it unfair, he could get as messed up as he wanted, but anything she indulged in he was overly cautious about. But before either of them had any time to get into any sort of nonsense, Natalie's focus went to Franklin, who had followed Trevor out only moments ago.

Nat found herself smiling. It had been awhile since she'd seen Franklin and she almost forgot about them being friends. But seeing his face again brought it all back.

She hugged him on instinct, which caught him a bit by surprise for just a second before she felt one of his arms go around her for a moment, “Hey, girl. Good to see you still alive.”

They broke apart and she smiled up at him, he didn't look much different from when she last saw him, except there was the faintest darkness under his eyes from lack of sleep. He must be as stressed as Trevor was.

“Same to you, dude. Found a girl yet?”

He laughed, it was good to hear someone genuinely laugh, lately her life felt like the bastard child of a soap opera and late night crime dramas, “Nah man, not yet. But don't worry, I got a little something on the side.” He nudged her jokingly and winked.

She rolled her eyes, but the smile still remained on her face, giving him a light shove, she remembered they'd once slept together after a night of soul searching and drunkeness. She winked right back at him and within seconds she regretted it.

Like some angry third wheel, presumably because he was; Trevor spoke up, his tone low and dangerous, but not in the way that excited her, rather, the one that sounded like he was ready to start some fires, “Excuse me?”

Franklin's gaze fell on his friend's scowling face, genuinely confused, “What?”

Trev sputtered, not believing his unintentional audacity, his voice raising, “What was that?!”

She saw the danger that she faced and the only way she could think to diffuse the bomb that was her partner in crime was to lie, speaking before Frank said anything stupid, “Nothing, Trevor.”

It was too late however, if she had found a way to switch the subject, it wouldn't have mattered, because Frank's face said it all as he cast a look over to Natalie, as if to ask if she really hadn't told T about their one night stand.

Looking back now, it would've been an easier to just tell Trevor, since that one time thing meant nothing, it would've been a can of worms still, but if she just told him sooner, or planned to at all, then maybe just maybe, it wouldn't make Trevor as insanely jealous as he was now.

The tightness in Trevor's shoulders over the heist only got worse, like a spring coiled too tight, “It doesn't look like nothing.”

This wasn't going to end well, everyone knew it right then and there, but she pressed forward, trying to find some way to sate it, “It WAS nothing Trevor, it was a long time ago-”

He didn't even listen, this glare that could kill the weaker man turned to Franklin, “How long has this been going on then? I thought you were my friend, but noooo. Oh no, you're just like everyone else, both of you!”

It was the worst thing she could do with this, but she yelled back anyways, “Trevor, will you fucking listen?! I've haven't even seen Frank since I left Los Santos! It's not even important!”

He turned his rage to her, in one step he was inches away from her, she hated he was so tall so he wasn't so damn intimidating, “But you weren't planning on telling me right? What so I'm just side piece for you right? Avery too huh?”

Natalie threw a look towards Frank, asking him to help her out here. But he kept quiet. The traitor.

“Look at me!” Trevor barked, his face now level with hers.

She couldn't yell, she couldn't yell. She kept telling herself that as fast as she could so she didn't make things any worse, if that were even possible, “Babe, stop.”

It fell on deaf ears, he was pacing like a madman. Natalie almost wished her gun wasn't so far away from here “I should've known, I should've FUCKING known.”

His pacing lead him out of the dressing room out towards the lobby. She called for him to come back, not wanting to leave it like this, but once again he didn't listen. Franklin and Natalie were alone.

She turned to him, seeing if he had any answers to this, but he proved as clueless as her. He sighed, shifting his weight uncomfortably, “He'll calm down when this score is over.”

She collapsed on the chair by the vanity, holding her face in her hands, suddenly feeling incredibly drained, “You sure about that?”

He frowned, “No.”

There wasn't much that could be said between them, besides that they probably shouldn't be around each other for a little while. Franklin left, having to get some sleep before the most important day of his life.

She was alone again, but she did really feel alone this time around. She should probably go look for Trevor, but there was nothing she could do that would make this any better, at least not until she had time to think about it. As of right now, she felt like shit, but that might be because of the cocaine, or more specifically, the lack of it in her system. Her only solution for that issue was more.

She figured this was a thing now, cocaine. It wasn't too bad, and she didn't feel crazy, but it'd only been 24 hours. But still, she got those contacts from Lindsey when her shift ended and she phoned them in as she waited for Trevor to come back.

The clock kept ticking later and later into the night. By three in the morning, there was no word of her boyfriend. She sat around the club, waiting for her phone to light up with his name, expecting a call or a text yelling at her, or really anything, but nothing came. So she stayed there, only leaving the club to pick up something to eat nearby, still waiting.

Finally, when she swallowed her pride, she called. The phone rang for a moment, and went to voice mail after only a handful of rings, he was ignoring her. She left behind a voice mail anyways, quiet for a moment, trying to grasp just what to say, “Please don't do anything stupid, Trevor.”

That was the best she could do, at least for now. Stupid for him was a billion things, from getting killed in the street to overdosing on whatever was in his pockets to grabbing a call girl for the night. All sounded pretty unpleasant to her, but selfishly, she was worried about the last the most.

There was no reply to her voice mail, at least none that she got. And it looked like there wouldn't be for awhile. Natalie knew he couldn't stay away from the club forever, so if she was ever going to catch up with him soon, she'd have to stick around. That couch in the office didn't look any more appealing so she found herself in the chair behind the desk, phone always in her hand just in case.

She didn't know when she dozed off, but she did. And she dreamed of blood, something that didn't seem too out of the ordinary anymore, but it hit a bit closer to home now.

–

She woke up when someone entered the office. Her heart lept and she expected Trevor's hulking figure to come into view, but instead it was a girl assigned to work the bar. She couldn't hide her disappointment, but it changed quickly when she saw the coffee in the girl's hand meant for her.

She took it and gave a quick thanks, downing a quarter of it and giving a satisfied sound at the warmth filling up her stomach. She sat back and checked the time, she'd fallen asleep the rest of the night and by now it was nearing late morning, the day supposed to be a lot sunnier than the last, the rain long gone by then.

After a few moments to properly wake up, Natalie reached for her phone on the desk, crossing her fingers in the hopes that Trevor sent any sort of word to her. But there was nothing to be seen, besides a goodnight text from Becca.

“Asshole.” She muttered before taking another sip of her coffee. Didn't he realize how worried she was about him? Apparently not, or he just didn't care. In the back of her head she wondered if this was his means of breaking up with her. And it pissed her off that he wouldn't do that face to face. This entire thing just seemed to make her irritable.

In reality, she was worried sick and sad. But she couldn't bring herself to deal with that hurt in her chest when she could channel that energy to being just a general bitch. She always preferred it that way anyhow, made things a bit easier. Maybe it wouldn't be very easy now to fight fire with the inferno that was Trevor, but fretting wouldn't get her anywhere either. And honestly, she would much rather have a screaming match instead of the radio silence she was facing now, but she couldn't help that.

Her train of thought was interrupted when someone else entered the office. It was a short, pudgy man who teetered along on a cane, looking just as generally disgusted with the hygiene of the place as she was. She'd yet to meet him, but he didn't seem like a total stranger by the way he didn't seem so unfamiliar with the place.

His gaze cast over her, looking ever so slightly surprised to see a woman here that wasn't topless or about to be that way. But he collected himself, pushing his wire glasses up the bridge of his nose, “Ah, you must be, ahh...” He cleared his throat, “Trevor's girlfriend.”

She didn't like the tone of his voice when he said that last par, like it was something filthy or immoral, maybe it was, but it didn't matter to her. But she brushed it off, “Maybe not, actually. Have you heard from him?”

He hobbled over to the couch, sitting down with a low groan, “Uh, no. But he should be here soon.”

She nodded thoughtfully and got up, coffee still in hand. Natalie decided to let him be as he seemed to just be waiting for her to screw off so he could get some work done. She was far too depressed by the club by then and she figured she could go out for a bit to grab another bite to eat before Trevor made it back. She made it out and felt all too grateful to breath in fresh air.

Nat opted for the convenience store right around the corner so she could keep an eye on the club just in case his Bodhi rolled in. She picked up a sub sandwich that looked fresh enough and a drink for later before she was on her way back, spying Trevor's truck haphazardly parked in the front of the Vanilla Unicorn, a pretty nasty dent on the side.

She could breath a sigh of relief knowing he as at least alive. And despite their fighting, she was happy to see him. She must have fallen hard for him. Natalie made her way from the front of the club back towards the dressing room where she found Trevor and his gang, along with the guy she just met. She felt a little bad for not catching his name.

Natalie stuck around by the door while they talked, not wanting to interrupt them. It was also an opportune time to check out Trevor in a suit, which wasn't something she'd ever expect to see. She had to admit that he looked damn great. But despite that, she was still listening in and she quickly realized today was the day of the heist and it made her heart sink into her stomach.

She knew she absolutely had to speak to Trevor, try to make up with him before anything went wrong. She squared her shoulders as she swallowed her pride. She took a step forward and cleared her throat to get his attention just as the other boys went into the office. His dark brown eyes fell on her for a moment and he didn't check her out like he usually did. Instead he saw her with only mild regard, perhaps annoyance and being interrupted from the biggest moment of her life and with that look alone, the words about to come out of her mouth failed her.

When she came up with nothing to say, he left, not taking another look back at her.

Her appetite was gone in seconds, instead feeling sad and sick and almost numb. Was that really it? By the looks of it, it was over between them, he obviously didn't care about her enough to at least spare a half-assed goodbye. Well, if it was going to be like that, she wasn't going to stick around. She dumped what she just bought in the trash and grabbed her bag, storming out with all the false confidence she could present.

She hurried out to the street and hailed a taxi, somehow managing to convince the cabbie to take her all the way to Sandy Shores. With a greased palm he was more than happy to and soon enough she was out of the city. She held back tears out of pure frustration as she still hoped and prayed they would turn out alright, regretting leaving the club even if he left her first.

Natalie checked her phone one last time, but even still nothing. She said a silent goodbye to Trevor just in case something went wrong and she shut off her phone, unable to stand looking at it for the rest of the day.

The radio the cabbie had one cut out mid song to report breaking news. Detailing a disturbance and possible robbery at the Union Depository. She listened intently to what they were able to give out, but there wasn't much else to report. She leaned back in her seat, hoping that they would say something if someone turned up dead. But if anything, she'd have to contact Frank to get the real story or even Ron if things got desperate.

The cabbie shook his head in disapproval over the news, “What kind of moron would try to steal from a place like that?”

She peered at him for a second, the song that was interrupted returning again just towards the end of it, so how meaning something to her about the world going as normal if Trevor died. Maybe for everyone else, but she wasn't sure about herself.

She looked out the window as the taxi advanced into the desert she called home, “No one sane.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys may be a little confused. You see, I posted this chapter early this morning, but as I went to bed I realized that I was missing a big plotpoint at the end! So I deleted and went to work.  
> Anyways, I drew some more sketches of Natalie, check it out!  
> http://alvrexadpot.tumblr.com/post/133652184889/i-swore-i-posted-these-natalie-an-oc-for-my-gta

Chapter 22

Relationships were hard. Relationships with a semi-psychotic drug dealer were a tad bit harder.

Natalie made a conscious effort to avoid any sort of monogamous bonds for most her natural born life, and for good reason too. Things like that came with commitment and promises, things she wasn't sure she could hold up to. She almost thought for a moment it could be easier to be with Trevor, who's entire life could be defined as unconventional. But everything about her boss's life came with it's own abundant amount of issues, but it drew her closer anyways.

What brought her to Trevor was beyond her, what told her to stay with Trevor was even more mysterious. She should've known better than to think any of this would be any form of healthy. But it didn't deter her knowing now anyways. She still wanted him despite her convictions. And even if they were fighting and he refused to speak to her or even look at her, there was still the pull that made Natalie want him to still be hers.

That pull was what made this entire day its own special kind of hell. From the second she woke up she feared the worst, when they left to steal from the biggest bank in America it somehow confirmed that she wouldn't see any of them again. She only wished she had a bit more time with them, to sort something out where none of them remained on bad terms at the end of their lives. This was all wistful thinking however, there was nothing she could do now but wring her hands and hope that what was to be expected wasn't what was actually going to happen.

All this waiting was killing her, though. Patience was never her strong suit and it wasn't something she was going to learn that day. Natalie could call up Franklin, but she feared whatever they were doing was still in progress and she'd hate to throw any of them off.

Then again, she could take a visit to the Yellow Jack and drink herself into ignoring the nagging thoughts of death that buzzed through her skull. Her gaze fell on her bag, dirty and worn from years of use and still holding onto that bottle full of cocaine.

Natalie shook her head, she needed to calm herself off of it. But upon second thought, there wasn't much else to do and her hand was already on an old Love Fist CD case. She told herself that it was going to be fine, it was just something to do, and her habit for tobacco was killing her a lot faster than the blow.

After a hit and a few seconds to let it feel its way through her system. She didn't necessarily feel better about her situation, but she certainly had more of a drive to go out and do something instead of pacing and waiting for any news to come by.

She grabbed her keys and went right to her car. There wasn't much in Sandy Shores that could appease her when coke was playing around in her head, but her interests took her towards a bar. She knew better than to show her face at the Yellow Jack, Janet could spot a high from a mile away and she'd rather not get into that issue just yet.

The bar she chose was rather new, it was safer to call it a club. It was fitted with a small dance floor and boasted something about karaoke on Thursday evenings. It was the up and coming hot spot for the younger crowd, finally providing something else to do in the massive desert other than shoot and skin small animals. It was Sandy Shore's first step into gentrification and while Trevor would've despised it, it was her best option right now.

She arrived at an improper time, still early in the afternoon. No one was there except for the bored staff who took to sampling the stuff behind the bar and sharing stories to waste the time. It was exactly the kind of people she needed right now. She slapped a five dollar bill on the bar to pay for her first drink and asked them if they wanted to hear the story of her scars. Within seconds, they were hooked.

–

Natalie did have to lie a bit when revealing her tales, whether it was to leave her line of work undisclosed or to keep her friends for the day interested. It wasn't hard either, they were satisfyingly buzzed throughout their attention to her, the bartender even insisting on handing her free drinks, to which she never protested about. She left them for a moment, excusing herself to the restroom to take another bump before she came back down.

The bathroom was clean, which wasn't something she expected, but she wasn't complaining. She set up shop, taking a couple hits off the CD case that now seemed like it was going to be a common sight for her. After getting the proper dose she wanted she sat herself up on the counter, back against the mirror installed on the wall. Her hands were on her pack of cigarettes. Ignoring the anti smoking laws for a moment so she could enjoy a smoke and air conditioning in peace.

Even though she was trying to avoid it, her thoughts were back on Trevor, as they often seemed to be doing nowadays. She still remained dumbfounded as to why he would be so angry with her. She hoped he wasn't the same way with Franklin, if anything bad was to happen as a result of their one night stand, she wasn't sure she could forgive herself.

A thought crossed her mind as she took an impressively long drag. Maybe there was a rational reason to Trevor's anger. Rationality was never his thing, but the thought still intruded her brain. Maybe Trevor wasn't exactly mad about her and Frank sleeping together, maybe it was something so much deeper than that.

Natalie knew better than to think Trevor was just who he was on the surface. She knew he faced hardships within himself, things so awful and grim that he never wanted them to see the light of day, but sometimes they slipped through his lips or through a fleeting expression on his face. She witnessed it come through a handful of times, and she never entertained those thoughts and memories, she was a fan of suppression herself.

But the one thing she knew Trevor tried his hardest to keep out of his mind, and failed time and time again. It was insecurity.

For someone who boasted confidence in everything he did, he was so unsure of himself. And that may have been what fueled all this anger. Franklin was young and strong, body showing experience but without the scars and dents from years of abuse, many a girl could fall for him on looks alone. Natalie just wasn't one of those girls at least for more than a night, but Trevor wasn't so sure of it.

She wondered why she didn't think of it before. He was worried he wasn't good enough for her, that some man -Franklin even- could take her away. And it was made clear in his view when he found out about that night. Natalie realized that it was fixable, that all the issues she was facing were something that could be salvaged, it might take some time, but she had new hope for their future together.

She packed away her things quickly and hopped off the counter, disposing of the rest of the cigarette in the trash can by the door. She waved goodbye to the staff who were getting ready for the night crowd to start coming in soon. She was back in her car, cranking the radio as she sped back to the heart of Sandy Shores, ignoring the fact that she maybe she shouldn't be driving after she had a few drinks, but she was sober enough to drive a straight line. She stopped rather abruptly in front of Trevor's trailer, her whole body lurching forward.

She hopped out of the car and jogged up the steps, Trevor's truck wasn't in sight and when she called his name she heard no response. She groaned loudly, not wanting to have to wait for him. She grabbed her phone out of her back pocket, looking up Franklin's number a calling him.

After a few rings she heard Frank pick up. She was unable to help but breathe a sigh of relief, “Oh thank god, you're alive.”

He chuckled, sounding just as relieved as her, “Yeah, I can't believe we did it.”

She smiled through a bit lip, so glad to hear his voice which she feared she'd never hear it again. But her attention went back to the subject at hand, “Is Trevor okay?”

“Yeah, he's doing good. Great, we're all doing great. Him and Michael left with Lester awhile ago, he's not home yet?”

She had a sudden pang of sadness, maybe he was trying to avoid her still, “No, not yet.”

“I''m sure he'll come around soon.” Natalie could hear the sympathy come through his voice, she didn't like being pitied, but she let it slide.

“Thanks Frank, I'll talk to you soon, alright?”

“Yeah sure, see you soon.”

They hung up immediately after and she tucked her phone back into her pocket with a wistful sigh. Trevor's trailer was a mess like it usually was, garbage and clutter all around. Natalie almost wished Patricia was still around to keep everything in order, or at the very least, smelling pleasant. She cleared herself a space on the couch, wondering how hard it would be to tidy everything up herself seeing as Trevor would never do it.

Thankfully, she didn't have to wait around long before she heard the familiar growl of the Bodhi's engine as it neared the trailer. Natalie could feel her own heart leap inside of her chest, though she couldn't tell if it was from the excitement of seeing him alive or her own nerves.

The engine was cut and silence fell over once again. She didn't notice she was holding her breath until she felt her chest start to ache. There was a quiet the went on for a little too long, she feared he saw her car parked outside and he decided to head for the hills. But after another moment she heard footsteps near and saw the door get pushed open.

Trevor was still in the suit she last saw him in, it almost caught her as a surprise but she remembered he only had it on since this morning, but this morning felt like days ago to her. She searched him for any damage, and mortal wounds that told her that something was wrong. But there was nothing she hadn't seen before, scars still the same, scabs from the heights of meth induced picking still healing as they always did.

A smile crept across her face at the sight of him safe and somewhat sane. But there was no appreciation on his face that matched hers, beside the short lived glance at her chest. Some things never changed.

Instead he wore scowl, not too impressed to see her. She figured he would still be mad but even then she hadn't found what to say.

He wasn't leaving, so that was a good sign, maybe he wanted to work this out as well, “Everything go okay?”

He was still standing in the doorway and it was making her nervous, even if he wanted things back to how they were, he was going to make it damn difficult. Finally he entered fully, leaving the door open. But he came in with little interest to her, instead he went for the fridge, grabbing leftovers of something she made him a few days ago. It was strange to think how different just a few days ago felt. Now he was probably millions richer and hardly wanted to be in the same room at her.

“Yeah, everything's great.”

Nothing sounded very good by his tone. She bit her lip and stood up, she still was left with little to say. But she tried anyways, “Trevor-”

She was abruptly cut off, she saw that coming, “Shouldn't you be with Franklin?” He spat out with acid in his voice. She got to meaning of of the term 'if looks could kill' just then.

Natalie let out an exasperated sigh, but tried to remain calm, she had to be the rational one here, “You know I don't like Franklin.”

He looked over his shoulder, his back facing her as he picked through the cold leftovers, “Do I?”

She stood up, nearing him. She could see the muscles in his back tighten under his suit jacket, “Just... Look at me.”

He did, which caught her by surprise. His eyes were on her, perhaps trying to read her, “What?”

“I never liked Franklin, Trev. I like you, I want you.” She said earnestly, “I don't know what you want out of me. I'm doing the best I can for you. What could you want, a list of all the people I slept with?”

“Yes.”

She couldn't help but laugh, but the look that remained on his face cut it short, “I'm not going to do that, Trevor. Cause God knows what you're going to do to them.”

He was about to say something snarky and she was prepared, but they were interrupted by the hum of his cell phone. He answered it immediately, she could detect the murmur of a man on the other side of the line. Trevor hung up without saying a word, his attentions no longer on Natalie or the food as he was walking back outside of the door.

“Wait, where are you going?” She followed behind him as she spoke.

He whirled around to face her abruptly and she almost walked right into his chest, “To the Ace, something's up.”

She nodded, glad to have her gun with her as always, “I'm coming with you.”

He grit his teeth, “No you're not.”

She crossed her arms, “My house is just beside it, I would be there anyways.”

He stared her down, but his brand of intimidation didn't work on her. She stood tall and held her ground, not going to budge on this. In any other situation, he liked that she was so headstrong. Unfortunately it was damn annoying right now.

He knew he could probably shove her into a closet and lock her in until he got what he needed to do done, but the last thing he needed were cops sniffing around about reports of a screaming girl locked in his home.

So he turned and continued walking, prompting her to follow. He had little time to argue anyhow, the Aztecas decided now was the perfect time to attack his lab in droves. He found a cruel irony in it, then again most his godforsaken life was like that.

They made it inside before there was any site of an Azteca caravan but they knew well enough they only had seconds to spare. Chef and Wade were already preparing for the attack, battening down the hatches, so to speak.

Chef went straight to them as they went through the front doors. He shoved a shotgun into Natalie's hands before turning to Trevor and listing off what was coming, he stumbled on his own words and they both could clearly tell he was higher than a kite, then again, she was still on her high too, but hopefully not as far gone as he seemed to be.

Her attention fell onto the new gun in her hands. She had no experience with anything other than a handgun before and she had no time to practice now. If she could keep a steady hand on it, then just maybe she could be a use, since a handgun against a gang was a suicidal act at best.

The was a quiet hum of cars nearing the old convenience store. Time was up and they scrambled into defensive positions, each of them peeking through the dirtied windows and walls and counting out the cars. They found themselves grossly understaffed, but still for the most part capable and they might just win this on capability alone.

The convoy screeched to a halt, circling the store to ensure no survivors. The Aztecas were the first to fire their spray of bullets, shattering windows and piercing through the plaster. It didn't take them long to fire right back, it was apparent that they had more experience than most they were facing.

Natalie had yet to fire, nervous not only of getting shot in the head, but also if she could handle the shotgun clasped tightly in her hands. She looked to her side, Trevor and her upstairs on the roof, trying to pick off the farthest away. He turned his head to face her, not looking happy at all that she hadn't picked off a single one of the Aztecas yet.

She bit her lip hard, forming crescent-shaped creases in her skin until she broke from cover and started firing. She expected a hard kickback but it still made her stumble when her first bullet burst. She missed by a mile. With little time to train the barrel again, she fired. It hit it's mark this time, nothing fatal for sure, but it was damn distracting enough for Trevor to take him down.

They heard a call from downstairs saying that they were coming down heavy on the other side of the store. Trevor popped off a couple more Aztecas before he was bolting to the other end for damage control, Natalie following right behind him.

There was loads more than before and Nat was beginning to panic. She had faith in Trevor in the others, but she wasn't so sure about herself. But there was no time to second guess and run for it now. She figured she would rather die than let Trevor think she was scared. So she went to firing, her position under a broken through window, overlooking a worn out concrete area where the Aztecas swarmed like locusts.

It took her some time to get a good hold of the gun she wielded, and soon she was a force to be reckoned with, a force that missed every third shot, but one made to intimidate nonetheless. With every tiny break she took, she threw a glance Trevor's way to see if he was alright. She didn't need to however, he was in his element. She swore he was better in life or death situations than he ever would be with the thought of her with someone else.

There was a noise from behind, it was so small and quiet it was a wonder how she even heard it. Trevor certainly didn't as he was firing at what remained bellow. She turned to investigate, somehow one of the Aztecas made it upstairs.

She couldn't think of how he made it because he was coming in fast, ready to kill. Her gun needed reloading so instead of aiming it at him, her hands went to the ground. Her fingers found a large shard of glass out of the many pieces scatteedr on the floor. She gripped it tightly, the edges cutting through her palm before she leaped for her attacker.

The man's attention went to her as she plunged it into the upper part of his chest, it missed anything vital but it made him stumble back a step. She ripped it out just as he was about to strike right back, knife in his own hand, this time aiming for the neck. They were on the ground as the end sliced deep inside his throat, but she didn't stop. She stabbed again, ripping it out of him before stabbing once again, and again, his blood misting over his chest and parts of her face.

It wasn't until his twitching body went still before she felt the awful pain of the glass burn into her hand. She let it go and looked down at her palm. It was going to leave an awful cut but she couldn't worry about it now. She turned back to the window, re-grabbing the shotgun she abandoned and getting back in position, adrenaline masking over the pain long enough for her to help finish off those who didn't retreat.

When the last bullet pierced through the air, there was an almost loud silence that consumed the broken-up store. Natalie was breathing heavy, her chest aching from the air she had forgotten to take in. She dropped the shotgun just as the pain swelled back up in her palm, she gripped it tightly in hopes that it might alleviate the hurt a little, hissing through her teeth as she did.

She didn't notice Trevor come to her side until she felt his hand grab her wrist, bringing her cut closer so he could inspect the damage, not looking happy with the sight. She almost regretted taking that cocaine then, with her heart beating so fast from not only it, but also the adrenaline still running its course, blood was pumping out of her hand more than it should.

But it didn't bother her as much as it probably should have. Instead, her mind was on Trevor and his advances. His hands were on hers and he was bringing her closer, ignoring the blood dripping out of her and the spray of the Azteca she killed.

His mouth was on hers quickly and Natalie was reminded of how much he liked seeing her in the heat of an attack. She pulled him in, their lips crushing together almost painfully. They ignored the smear of lingering blood as their need for each other only became more and more heated, all the anger and stress from before melting away instantaniously. She had to remember this the next time they fought.

They were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. It wouldn't have stopped Trevor but Natalie still did have some modesty left in her and she pulled away, receiving a dissatisfied grumble from Trevor as he wiped his mouth, not that he expected them to screw around on the floor of his meth lab.

Their gaze fell on Chef, who managed to survive and look pretty unharmed too. Trevor went to hear what he had to report while Natalie ripped off a piece of her shirt so she could bandage her hand, before turning and smiling a little at the bloody hand prints she smeared on Trevor's neck and upper back.

She stepped over the Azteca body she left behind and maneuvered downstairs to see how bad it went. The store was torn up, although it usually was, so damage was amazingly minimal in the grand scheme of things. Wade was alive, but jumpy and very unsure of what to do now. The poor kid.

Before she had any time to ask if Wade was okay, Trevor was behind her, his arms slipping around her waist and pulling her back against his torso. She could feel his semi press gently against the small of her back, so everything really was back to normal.

She hummed softly in approval, looking up at him with an amused look on her face, “Something on your mind?”

He pushed his hips against her with a bit more enthusiasm, “Ever had makeup sex?”

She turned to face him, his hands never losing contact with her, “I don't really think you want me to answer that.” She took his hand in her undamaged one and lead him outside with the intention of going home.

She could almost feel the happiness radiate off of him, she might as well pop his bubble now before she found her clothes on her bedroom floor, “But I'm not sleeping with you.” He stopped in place, forcing her to stop as well, his face fallen “I'm still mad at you for letting me work sick about you. And I lost blood, I'm tired.”

That he understood, and before she knew it he hand her scooped up in his arms. She let out a sound before wrapping her arms around his neck for support as he carried her the rest of the way into her trailer. She couldn't help but hold onto the gentle smile on her face as she was being toted, certainly appreciating the affection-based action.

She looked up at him, “Keep this up and we'll be having that make up sex by the time I wake up.”

Natalie closed her eyes after that, but she could feel his pace quicken as he neared her trailer. When they arrived he took her into the bathroom to get a proper bandage on her bloodied hand. He sat her on the counter of the sink and she leaned back against the wall, certainly feeling the blood-loss by then. He found her little first-aid kit nestled by the shower.

He gave her a cautious look, quick to notice her pale, “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

She shook her head softly, holding her hand out for him, “No, I would always get like this when I donated blood, I just need to eat and sleep it off.”

It was apparent Trevor didn't have to much experience in doctoring. His cleaning and bandaging shoddy, but it was food enough until she had the time to do it herself. 

She hopped back onto the floor with the aid of him. She pecked his cheek before heading to her bedroom, hoping to change clothes before she crawled her way into bed. But she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

She groaned, turning toward her front door with hear brain swimming in her head as she did. She made it to the doorknob without throwing up, which was an accomplishment. But if the blood-loss wasn't making her nauseous, then the sight of two cops at her door certainly would do it.

They looked surprised at the state of her and had every right to. She wished she changed clothes sooner, but hindsight was 20/20 and she didn't have time to damn herself as one of the police officers spoke up.

“Are you Natalie Blaine?” She couldn't bring herself to speak, a lump in her throat, so she nodded slowly, the officers glanced at each other for a moment before facing her again, “We'd like to bring you in for questioning about the disappearance of Avery Willis.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Trevor and Natalie reconciled, Natalie must deal with legal issues while Trevor deals with illegal ones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, its been a month since I last updated, its cause im a lazy shit

Chapter 23

Natalie sat alone in a dimly lit interrogation room, much like the ones she'd seen in late night crime dramas. It felt cold in there, the chair she sat on gave no support, the entire room was built to make her feel uncomfortable. It certainly didn't help that they hadn't let her change out of her bloodied clothes before they took her in.

She'd been alone for a few minutes now, the clock telling her ten minutes to be exact, but those ten minutes seeming to stretch on. She had already went over what she would say with a fine toothed comb, preparing to lie her way through this and hopefully be believable. She can't believe she didn't think the cops would get involved with Avery's murder, it was a stupid mistake of hers to kill him, just as it was a stupid mistake to let him into her life. Natalie couldn't help but think every decision she made was stupid.

The last time she'd seen sight or sound of Avery was when his body was sinking fast into the depths of the Alamo river not far from Grapeseed. He was probably decaying, toxic fish food by now, his body mixed with the rest of the rot that resided at the bottom. But while his body was probably almost out of existence, there was people still around who remembered him, a family who was no doubt worried sick about their son.

She wondered what Trevor thought of all this. He hadn't said a word since she opened the door to her trailer and she couldn't help but think about where he could be and what he possibly could be doing. Nothing good, she was sure.

One of the men who took her in came through the metal door facing her. He was how she would imagine a bad ass cop would look and she knew she'd have to watch what she said around him.

He sat across from her on the only other chair in the room, his arms folded over his chest, muscles in his arms bulging from years of training. She had to wonder how someone as tough looking as him ended up in a place like Sandy Shores, must've been helping out.

His voice was clear and polite, though she knew better than to trust it, “How long have you known Avery?”

She had already practiced for that answer, but tried not to sound so nervous, “Almost two months.”

If he was getting the info he needed or not, he didn't show. His face and body were incredibly hard to read, “And how did you two meet?”

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, trying to act relaxed even though she felt far from it, “Through a mutual friend.”

“And who might this friend be?”

Should she say Becca's name? Would that compromise everything? She didn't have a backup, “Rebecca, old friend of mine.”

“You wouldn't mind giving us her contact information when we're done here, would you?”

Natalie would mind, actually, but she had no choice, “Sure.”

He nodded his head, the first movement he made in awhile. He was so stiff, “Can I assume you and Avery were dating.”

She nodded, “We went on a few dates, yeah.”

“When was the last time you saw him?”

She hid the lump in her throat she was forced to swallow, at least she hoped she did, “A few weeks ago, I can't remember exactly.” That was a lie, she had the day she killed him mentally marked down, even the hour.

He cocked a thick eyebrow, “And you weren't worried about him not contacting you for 'a few weeks'?”

She shook her head, “I'm in a serious relationship now.”

He leaned forward, despite him still being across the table she felt her personal space being invaded, “And who would you be in a relationship with?”

She spoke before she thought, “Trevor Philips.”

He heard the name before, that was clear, and she should've known better than to disclose that information. Trevor had a reputation, and a nasty one at that. Having Avery and Trevor linked together wasn't anything good.

He was quiet for a long moment, perhaps reveling in his own smugness at learning of her true relationship with her boss. He didn't push that point further however, his intentions turning to her appearance, “What's with all the blood?”

She at least had that answer planned, “Cut my hand cooking, I'm anemic.” It wasn't the best of answers, but it was better than admitted she stabbed a guy to death.

He was about to fire another set of questions before another cop entered the small interrogation room. He only looked at Natalie for a moment before leaning down and whispering something in his coworker's ear.

It was a short conversation but her interrogator didn't look all too pleased. He stood up, looking down on her with irritation clear on his face, “Seems we can't keep you any longer. But we'll be in touch.”

She raised a brow, confused. But she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, so she left without another word, not daring to look behind her. Natalie made it outside to find Trevor lounging lazily by his Bodhi, looking like he didn't have a care in the world like he usually did, a stark contrast to her. Despite the pressures she was facing, she felt the smile creep across her face.

She advanced towards him, throwing her arms around him, “Did you spring me?”

He had his head held high, “I may know a cop or two that owe me favors.”

She smiled, looking up at him, her eyes falling on his mouth, “I thought you didn't like dealing with cops.”

Trevor brought his mouth down to hers, giving a short, rough kiss, before pulling away to get back into his truck, “I don't.”

She climbed in with him, buckling in and taking a sigh of relief to be out of the police station. She almost thought she was done for, cutting her short career in crime even shorter because of a dead boyfriend and a bloody shirt.

She took Trevor's rough and calloused hand, turning to him as they drove the short way back to her trailer, “So what happens next?”

He seemed to ignore her question, “Did you get the name of the guy who interrogated you?”

Natalie had to pause a moment in thought, trying to remember a name tag or an exchange of pleasantries she may have looked over while gazing upon the massive man that was once in front of her. Her mind went to a woman working who had mentioned something along with his name, “Paul, I think... I didn't get a last name. He didn't look like he was from around here.”

She watched him as he thought things over, finally, he spoke up just as they pulled into the dirt driveway parallel to her home, “You need to lay low for a little, nothing serious. If they won't leave you alone-” He hopped out of his truck, prompting her to follow, “-then we're going to have to kill him.”

She froze up, “Who?? Paul??”

He nodded, regarding it as if he didn't say he would kill a cop if he had to. But upon second thought, she realized he probably had killed swarms of cops before, and it was almost certain he did when he was robbing from The Union Depository. Speaking of...

She spoke again when they went inside, “What happened at the score, by the way?”

He dropped himself unceremoniously on her couch, propping his feet up on her coffee table. A wolfish grin spread across his face, “Nothing you wouldn't expect. Swarms of cops, shitload of gold, Merryweather.”

She raised a brow, sitting herself beside him, “Merryweather? The private army?”

“Mhmm.” He hummed, “If you would believe it, they're not a fan of my work.”

She laughed, “I couldn't imagine why.”

There was a pause, both of them settling into a comfortable silence. Natalie's head fell onto his shoulder, ready to have the nap she'd been planning right then and there. But the calm was broken from a ring blaring through his phone. Neither looked to happy about the interruption, but Trevor answered anyways. She could hear Ron's panicked voice through the receiver, though she didn't fret, there was rarely a time where there wasn't a crisis in his life.

Trevor didn't respond to whatever it was Ron was babbling about, hanging up when he heard enough. He got up immediately after, leaving Natalie to support herself on the couch, “Aztecas are messing with our shipments again, have to go clear them out.”

She sat up, “I thought we just killed them all like two hours ago.”

He shook his head, explaining as he collected some of the things he needed, “They're trying to come at us from all angles.”

She stood up, “I'll change and we can go.”

Trevor turned, facing her. His eyebrow cocked and an amused smirk spreading across her face, “You don't get the whole 'laying low' concept, do you?”

She shrugged her shoulders carelessly, “I'll be there for moral support.”

Natalie didn't hear another word of protest as she went over to her closet and picked out something a little less caked in a dead man's blood. The red stains on her skin still remained, but that was a problem that could be solved later. Trevor had already made it outside by the time she was ready. They both crawled back into his truck and speed off through the dust covered streets.

Their destination was McKenzie Airfield, where Ron and a fueled up 'company heli' were prepped and ready for action. Natalie quickly grabbed his hand before he sprang into action, “Don't get yourself killed.”

He grinned, his eyes bright and wild. He was certainly in his element, “Wasn't planning on it.”

He hopped out of the truck after planting a kiss on her forehead and made a beeline to his copter. Ron fidgeted with a walkie-talkie clasped in his clammy hands and stammered out the information he knew to his boss, but shut up quickly when ordered to do so. Trevor was taking off in the heli within seconds, kicking up dirt under him as he gained altitude.

Natalie watched as distance made him smaller until he was no more than a tiny light in the darkened sky, darting west not far from Fort Zancudo. She could hear his voice growl through the speaker of Ron's walkie-talkie and even though she tried her best to listen in and hear if everything was turning out in his favor, it was hard to determine much of anything through the frequency static and noise pollution that the chopper was making.

She decided against trying to decipher whatever the chatter was, it would only work her nerves and she didn't need any extra stress when she had to worry about that Paul guy having his eyes on her. She instead turned her attention to doing nothing at all as she got out and went to the truck bed to sprawl out there while she played the newest mind numbing app on her phone.

She as forced to pause as a message appeared on her phone, one from Rebecca. It was simple, asking if she heard anything from Avery. A spike of fear and anxiety shot through her for a second, afraid the text was laced with suspicion, as if Becca thought she was just as suspect as Paul thought she was. Nat dashed the thought away however, if it was really something that concerned her friend, then she would get a call, not a short text.

She mulled over a proper response, choosing whether to fake innocence or tell her there was an investigation going on. She choose the one that saved her for now, but she predicted would bite her in the ass later.

'no clue, haven't seen him in awhile.'

Ron peeked over the edge of the truck just as she was about to switch to her game again. She feared she was never going to get a moment of peace anytime soon. She tucked her phone away in her pocket and lazily moved her gaze onto him, folding her hands over her stomach, “What's up, Ron?”

He noticed her calm demeanor and tried to match it by resting his weight on the side of the Bodhi, though she knew better than to ever thing he was resting easy, “You like him a lot, don't 'cha?”

She raised a brow at that, “That's a bit personal.”

He tensed and chewed on his chapped bottom lip. Natalie assumed she looked much more irritated than she really was. She did her best to contort her face to look a little more pleasant, so to not terrify to man who really had no reason to be scared of her, but general paranoia made a fool of many, and he was no exception, “I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to- I mean, I didn't-”

“Yeah, I like Trevor.” She cut him off, not wanting to hear the jittery spiel that he was trying to convey. She forced a smile she hoped looked sincere, all so he could calm down and not have to stutter through every word, “It's kinda why I dating him.”

He bobbed his head, “Yeah, I got that. But do you, yknow, really like him?”

She sat up slowly, unable to help the suspicion from leaking into her tone, “What are you getting at, Ron?”

He was picking at the skin on his hands, she wasn't sure if it was a nervous habit or if he was just high, most likely both, “N-Nothing, I just don't want Trevor to-... you know, end up in a bad way again.”

Natalie's curiosity piqued, “Again?”

He nodded slowly, speaking quietly, appearing almost be afraid that Trevor might overhear despite him being miles away. But his voice still came crystal clear with how silent the night was in Blaine County, “He was real torn up when Patricia had to leave, hadn't seen him like that before.” She felt bitter, jealous even, “I just don't like seeing him end up like that.”

She gave a flat look, “Well don't worry, I don't have a Mexican husband to run back off to.”

There was no denying the harshness in her voice and no denying the anxiety that skyrocketed inside Ron. But before the situation could get any more awkward, there was a hum of activity from the receiver of Ron's walkie-talkie, prompting him to stand at attention.

Trevor was heading back towards the airstrip, as apparent by the flashing light in the sky and the static-y growl of his voice they could hear. But it looked and sounded like someone was tailing him, in fact, several someones. Natalie found herself jumping out of the truck and ready for action, despite the distance leaving her with little to do but watch.

Trevor's heli was coming in fast, with what they counted as three others following right behind him. They couldn't hear gunfire, but both Natalie and Ron knew they would be hearing that any second now.

Natalie didn't notice she was holding her breath and her eyes were glued to the little blip in the sky that was Trevor. Sure enough, the distant sound of a rapid fire weapon made it through the usual quiet and Ron was already jetting over towards the warehouse and grabbing from a cabinet what was undeniably a sniper. She had no such experience with any kind of rifle while he had some and so they silently chose him for the task of Trevor's back up.

Ron wasn't a good shot however, he was jittery and in a panic, both of which stunted his ability to fire straight. The first couple rounds she knew without looking didn't make impact, and for a moment she had the sickening thought that Ron could very well hit Trevor. Natalie forced herself to forget about that, Ron wasn't that much of an awful shot.

She knew he hit his mark when she heard a short laugh of triumph come from the man only a few feet away, though it was still too far away -and too dark- for her to see what damaged it may have caused. It wasn't until the second shot that she noticed one of the lights trailing behind Trevor at rapid speeds slowly begin to descend until it was spin out and crashed hard on the ground not far from the airstrip.

Another one of the helis pulled their attention away from Trevor and over to both Ron and Natalie. It was more reflex than rational thought that made Nat run to cover and have her handgun at the ready. Ron was following suit, trading the rifle for something fit for closer range because the enemy was coming down on them quick.

Shots rang through first from the enemy, then Ron as he tried his best to shoot it out of the sky. They were given no such luck when the enemy touched group safely and piled out to face what was there of TPI.

Natalie could only briefly fret over the though of the local police, or god forbid Paul, finding her in the middle of a gang war, but she had to ignore it and fight anyways. There were four total that she could count, but she didn't doubt there might still be another hidden in the heli, waiting to strike when they least expected it. Three of them maneuvered towards Ron while one was seeking her out.

She found herself with the advantage, hidden behind a misplaced crate that her enemy had yet to investigate near, but she plenty knew where he was. She jumped out of cover before he had another second to search and opened fire. Three bullets, two of them made it into him, one in his thigh, the other in his hip. He dropped like a stone, yowling in pain and abandoning his gun to hold onto his wounds. She ran up on him, ready to send the next bullet into his skull. Natalie could see briefly that he was young, actually he looked like he was barely out of his teens, she could only imagine what made the poor kid join some low-brow gang and maybe, for half a second, she almost felt bad for him.

But it was kill or be killed, and that's what made her pull the trigger.

Ron finished his three when she finished her one. They both looked over to each other to make sure each was in one piece. There was no physical damage they could detect so they went to the abandoned helicopter in front of them. With a brief search they found no other threat and their eyes went back to the sky. Trevor's heli was still in sight and nearly flying over them, with the other heli still on his tail. But something was different, namely, the thick plume of smoke wheezing out of Trevor's engine.

His helicopter was going down, what was a white plume soon turned black, then sparks of fire burst into view. The moan and ache of the copter was coming through clear, and Ron's left behind walkie-talkie was screaming obscenities. Ron raced to it to talk Trevor through it, while Natalie bolted towards the truck, firing back up the engine to follow him when he crash landed.

Her knuckles were white as paper as she gripped tight to the wheel, her eyes darting between the dusty road and Trevor's rapidly descending helicopter. Panic was spreading through her, he was going too fast, it wasn't going to look pretty at all when he touched ground. The enemy flyer back out when Trevor went into a tailspin, fighting to stay airborne but with no luck.

She was out of Sandy Shores not far from the highway when she saw Trevor disappear from her view and the sick crunch and burst of metal echoed into the night. She floored it by then, whizzing by motorists who were reasonably pissed about being run off the road. She didn't pay them any attention however, only focusing on the hopes that Trevor somehow made it out safe and sound and forcing away her oncoming nausea.

A million things ran through her head, thoughts of how she could possibly handle his death when she needed him the most was the biggest thing that pounded into her skull. She hated the thought of becoming a black widow, almost as much as she hated the thought of seeing his charred remains in the wreckage. It figured when she finally decided to pursue serious relationship they would all meet an ugly fate.

She found the heli lying not far from the highway, though by then, it was more of a burning metal pit, twisted in awful shapes with some pieces strewn around. She went off-road to get closer before she leaped out of the truck's cab with the engine still running. She felt tears well up in her eyes, there was no way he could've survived that, no way anyone could've survived that. Despite the flames that still engulfed the hunk of garbage, she went closer, still holding onto some misplaced denial that maybe, just maybe, there could be a living thing to be found in there.

But there was no, curiously though, there wasn't even something recently dead burning and decaying in the wreckage. Trevor wasn't in there. She turned promptly, hope filling her up. And just like that, she saw a black blotch in the the sky, growing bigger as it came closer to the ground. She identified it as a parachute and she didn't need to investigate any further to know it was Trevor.

With a fluid tuck and roll he made it to the ground. She was on him before he even had time to toss off his parachute. Her arms were wrapped around his waist in a vice grip, her head firmly against his chest as she listened to hear his rapid heart beat.

He looked down at her, surprised to see her come to his aid so quickly, “Natalie, are yo-”

“I thought you died, you shit.” She said through a smile that ached her cheeks. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but she quickly pulled away and wiped them with her forearm.

There was a number of emotions that passed across Trevor's face. Shock first, shock that anyone would care about his fate, satisfaction that someone did, and then suspicion as to why she would care. Natalie didn't give him time to ruin the moment when she was back on him again, grabbing him by his shirt and forcing him down a little to kiss him hard.

He met her with the same eagerness, though with different reasons. She didn't care, just so glad to have him near when she feared he was gone just a minute ago. He broke it apart and she huffed in protest.

There was a grin on Trevor's face that she couldn't help but admire, “Let's get you home.”

She knew exactly the implications behind the statement and she didn't protest, grabbing him firmly by the hand and leading him back to his truck. He took up the driver's side this time as he always did when they rode around together, she didn't mind that either, it gave her plenty clearance to appreciate Trevor's features, one's she feared had burned to a black crisp.

Natalie had never been happier to see someone before, but then again, it wasn't every day she thought a loved one died. She couldn't help but want to grab him and kiss him all over again, but she held back so she would launch them off the road and really get him killed this time around.

She sighed softly, resting into the seat, “Y'know, Trevor...”

His gaze flicked to her for a moment, “Hm?”

“I'm getting real tired of thinking you're dead.”

Natalie didn't have to look at the man beside her to know he was smiling. And soon his hand was back with hers again, fingers lacing together, her thumb stroking the rough skin on the back of his skin, tracing the small pattern of scars he had scattered there.

Her smile turned calm and soft, giving her cheeks a much appreciated break. Though a thought came in her head, it was something small until she realized just how true it could very well be, and then that smile turned into a frown. That sickly feeling trickled back inside her, Trevor not noticing the sudden change in her mood.

It was for the best, she figured. She didn't want him to know, she didn't even want herself to know, because to her, it was very well the worst thing she could deal with right now.

Because she could've very well been in love with Trevor.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie face's her feeling while Trevor is away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been awhile, hasn't it? Well, for awhile i just didn't plan on finishing this. Because it just wasn't fun for me anymore, then i realised, I wasn't doing it for me. I was doing this for attention. I was writing 4k chapters because thats what I thought you guys wanted. And as much as I like you guys and the approval, I feel like you'd like it more if I finished the story. This time on my terms.
> 
> This chapter isn't trevor heavy, but the next one will be, trust me

Trevor's arm wrapped around her. His breath coming softly through his nostrils while he slept like the dead. The early morning sun shined through the blinds, casting little lights across the floor. Trevor could sleep peacefully while it seemed to escape Natalie.

She'd been wide awake all night, despite her exhaustion. All she could think of was Trevor and the thought of loving him, which she told herself she didn't. She couldn't possibly love him, she never loved anyone and never would. But why was it that when she asked herself how she felt about him, it always said love?

She needed a dictionary for a better word. She needed therapy for a better choice in men. But none were available, so she was stuck with herself.

Natalie couldn't be around him, not now at least. She got up, collecting her clothing off his floor. Which was already messy despite her cleaning. She suspected some part of him was doing it on purpose.

She found her shoes by the door and slipped them on. Retrieving her house keys from her pocket, she was finally out the door.

Her thoughts went to home, wondering if she should even bother returning just yet. She couldn't imagine anything being there that could occupy her mind. Unless Natalie felt like cleaning for the millionth time. She decided against it.

Instead, she decided to enjoy the early morning coolness and walk the ways to the Yellow Jack. Perhaps to offer a helping hand and chew the fat with Janet.

Natalie made it down Panorama Drive, paralleling the Airfield when a car drove by. It slowed to a lull along beside her, the window rolling down and Paul showing his face, looking slightly more pleasant than before. Was he following her?

“Where you heading to?” He said casually. As if he didn't suspect her of murdering her ex-fling. “Do you need a ride?”

She shook her head, if he wanted to play this blasé game, then she could match it. “No, I'm heading towards the bar, I'll be fine.”

“Are you sure? It's no problem.”

“I'm fine.” She said it with a little too much force. She mentally cursed herself. Natalie backtracked a bit, speaking a bit softer, “I'm fine, thank you.”

Paul looked her over for a long moment, before nodding, “See you around, Natalie.”

He drove off, dust clouds trailing off behind him. She felt a little more on edge, she didn't like the thought of someone watching her, especially not a cop. Natalie really had to watch her back now. Perhaps spend a little less time around Trevor, as to not put any more suspicion on them.

As much as she didn't want to put any distance between them. Lord knows how Trevor got when he felt abandoned. But it would be for the best, to keep the both of them safe. And for Natalie to find a better understanding of what she was feeling.

She made it into the bar and she could already hear Janet cursing about 'the damn air conditioning'. Natalie couldn't help but smile already.

\------------------------------------------------------

Janet hugged her on her way out. “Don't be a stranger.”

Natalie beamed, “I don't plan to.”

After crow-barring herself out of Janet's embrace she made it out onto the parking lot. It was a little after mid day by then and it got drastically hotter. She wished she brought her car, but hindsight was 20/20.

She shrugged it off, glad she had snagged a water bottle before she left. She was just happy to be able to not have to think very much. But now reality was back in full swing.

Natalie didn't want to discuss much with Janet and she understood. Everything was just too sensitive to be talked about right now. All she did was work, help out with what she could. Anything that was said was just useless gossip. Whoever was kicked out or pregnant or anything else.

It was good to get time like that, where nothing was so hard. But she had to reface it and fix all of this with careful planning and time.

She checked her phone, finding a message from Trevor on the lock screen. He explained he'd be headed south into Mexico until tomorrow, a shipment was due. She was glad she didn't have to think of a way to avoid him for today. Though, a part of her was disappointed she couldn't see him.

Her phone went off again, this time a call. From Rebecca.

“Becca? What's up?” Natalie answered. She tried to sound cheerful, but there was an edge in her psyche that feared this wasn't going to be a pleasant call.

“Natalie! I wanted to see you.” She sounded happy.

Her fear was dashed away quickly. “You're in the area?”

“I'm going to be, there's a specialty store down there I need to get to and I know you're in the area. You're not busy are you?”

She smiled softly, glad to hear everything sound so normal, “Not at all, when will I see you?”

“Half an hour. Meet you at your place?”

“No problem.”

They hung up, Natalie feeling a little happier about having to walk back home. When she arrived she immediately went to the shower to get the bar grime and sweat off her skin. Hoping out she put on a fresh pair of clothes.

Soon she heard her friend's car honk at her, telling her to get her ass out. She obliged, locking up her apartment and hopping into the passengers side.

Becca beamed at her, pulling her into a bear hug even in the awkward positioning they were in. She pulled back to find a scar she'd never seen before marring Nat's cheek, along with the bandage around her hand. She couldn't even begin to think of what to say.

Natalie spoke up, “You know how accident prone I am.”

She wasn't, not usually. But Rebecca was just ditzy enough to believe it. She smiled and nodded, “Someone should put you in a padded room for your own safety.”

Nat chuckled, “Tell me about it.”

They went off south towards this specialty store. Becca explained on the way there it was a houseplant/garden store, selling uncommon plants from the west. Why someone would want to put a garden in a toxic dessert was beyond Natalie, but she was happy to go.

The place was half a small house, half a greenhouse. The greenhouse portion having hand painted signs lining the sides advertising sales and cheap puns.

The two went in, Becca already going into full detail about her life., how amazing things were going with her boyfriend John. Natalie was really glad to hear things were working out for her. She was a good person who deserved the world. And it was what she was given. Natalie would kill anyone who tried to take that away from her. And by now, she knew it as a fact.

“So did you and Avery not work out?” Rebecca said plainly, looking through a little forest of cacti.

Natalie swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. She didn't want to lie but there was no choice, “No, not as much in common as we thought. I'm seeing someone else.” She had to throw some honesty in there. And as much as she didn't think Trevor and Rebecca should be near each other, it sucked to hide so much from her closest friend.

Rebecca squealed, suddenly beaming. “You are?? Tell me about him! Is it serious?”

Nat bit her lip thoughtfully trying to see how she could word him delicately. “He owns the local airfields, older, and no. Not that serious.” It of course was that serious, but she didn't want to talk about that.

She seemed happy enough with the information, Natalie was no master of detail. “I really hope it works out for you.”

Rebecca settled for a few potted plants that caught her eye. Even forcing Natalie to let her buy her a little aloe plant, at least isn't wasn't something that needed constant maintenance.

They left, heading back towards the parked car. Something began eating at Natalie, she despised not telling Rebecca the truth. But there was so much she had to hide from her, this didn't have to be it.

“Becca, I lied.” Rebecca looked up as she started up her little Love Bug, raising an eyebrow in curiousity. “That guy? It is serious. I think I love him.”

Natalie expected screaming, celebration even. But Rebecca knew Natalie, knew how she was. But when Natalie turned to face her friend, she expecting her to almost boil over with joy. Instead she saw a smile, just a small smile, she spoke calmly. “Let's talk about it.”

Natalie nodded, finding the whole ordeal easier than she expected. Rebecca put the car into gear and drove off.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trevor returns and Natalie handles a hangover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? I wasn't gonna leave yall. Though I decided to start rereading the entire series because I've forgotten some key elements and big things are to come, stay tuned.
> 
> Also, big shout out to DarkEcoFreak for helping me out and generally being my inspiration for writing

Chapter 25

Natalie wasn't a fan of talking out her feelings. But despite that, it felt good to let it out to Rebecca. She could almost feel normal with her. Like it was just two girls talking over a crush and that was all. But when Becca had to leave, Nat was back in her reality. And even though the thought of love was a little easier to bear; any notion of telling Trevor made her sick to her stomach. She just wasn't ready.

Trevor was expected back in the early afternoon tomorrow. Despite her anxiety, she was still happy to see him and make sure he made it back in one piece. She went back to his place, her brand new little aloe plant in hand. She planned to wait out the rest of the time there.

She set the plant by close to a window and debated how hard it would be to de-stain the floors. It would take longer than she liked, but it was the only way to waste time that was legal. Though, she did feel cleaning would be a bit more entertaining shit-faced. So she dug her hands into the cleaning supplies and the ample supply of beer in the fridge, her mind already feeling more at ease.

A couple drinks later and at least one stain -which she could determine as blood or worse- she was feeling great. So great, she was losing track of time. Her cleaning supplies were soon abandoned and instead she attended her party of one. The night became blurrier until she found herself waking on the couch the next day.

Her head ached and the sun pouring in through the windows didn't help. Natalie lay there for a long time, trying to figure out if she had the will to stand. Or even the stomach for it. As she came to, she noticed she wasn't alone in the trailer. Trevor lounged against the kitchen, watching her expectantly. Not looking happy. Even with his obvious irritation, she was glad to see him.

Natalie dragged herself to sit, the room spinning in the worst way. “What?”

He folded his arms together, “You got a little something on your face.”

She felt just under her nose and she looked down at her hand. Coke. She didn't remember taking it last night. She didn't even remember having it on her. She wiped off the rest with her arm. “Oops.” Trevor scoffed and shook his head. He turned to the fridge on her right. She frowned more, going on the defensive, “What?”

“Nothing.” He spoke shortly, making her feel so small.

She went to stand, but felt way too sick for that and stayed where she was. “What's your issue with coke, Trevor? I know you sell it.” She was already feeling bad, his negativity was only making him feel worse.

“That's not the issue.” He grumbled.

She sighed with exasperation, “Then what?”

“I don't want you doing it.”

She paused for a moment to process, “You mean me specifically? What the hell, Trevor?”

He shook his head and turned away. “Nothing, forget it.”

She stood finally while she held back the bile rising up her throat. She pushed farther, “No, Trevor, you need to tell me.”

Trevor groaned, slamming the door to the fridge. He was tense, incredibly so. “Some people deserve better.”

Natalie's frown grew. First with confusion, then realisation. Trevor had mentioned it once before, but they were drunk and she didn't think much of it then. But she did now. Trevor thought he was a mess up, she knew that before. But what he only let slip once was that he was afraid he would mess her up too.

She could only imagine how he felt now. She was so average before she met him, she wouldn't even recognise herself now. Now she killed for a living and she had the scars to prove it, all because of what he introduced her too. He probably thought an addiction would just top it off.

He was afraid he'd turn her into himself. Natalie never met someone who hated themselves as much as Trevor did.

Her voice softened, reaching to touch his arm, “I'll stop.” Trevor looked back at her, looking skeptical. “I will.” She insisted.

Trevor slowly accepted it and finally nodding, accepting her promise. “Come on, lets get you to bed.”

–

She woke up only two hours later, but after a painkiller and proper sleep she was feeling better. Natalie crawled out of bed and found Trevor lounging by the TV. It wasn't often she saw him with nothing to do, seeing as there was always a crisis to deal with.

Nat walked over, pecking him, “How was the trip?”

He shrugged a little bit, giving her a lazy smile, “Nothing special. Boring.”

She smiled with him, glad his mood had changed for the better. “Boring? You flew to Mexico to sell guns, how could that be boring?”

He shrugged again, looping an arm around her. She noticed his pupil were dilated, he was high, but Natalie ignored it. She was of course a little bothered he was allowed to get high and she wasn't. But she didn't want to ruin the moment, especially when things seemed calm for right now.

Or at least, calm until she found his hand sliding lower down her waist. She raised a brow at him and he met it with a grin. They didn't need to say much, or anything at all as they went right back to bed.

Natalie already felt her shirt coming off before she hit the bed. It had been awhile since they had sex, between fighting with each other and enemies, there was just too little time. Nat brought his mouth down to hers and they kissed nearly to the point of bruising.

Trevor was on top of her, his hands feeling her waist up to her naked chest. Their mouths never disconnected as their hands began wandering and clothes were taken off. It wasn't long before she was completely naked under neath him, both pressed against each other.

He ended the kiss after awhile. He began lowering himself to leave small bruises down her body until he was was level with her crotch. Her breath caught in her throat and she couldn't stop herself when her crotch raised slightly in excitement. A smile spread across his face, silently gloating. She groaned, not wanting to be teased. She reach down, forcing his head closer, “Don't tease.”

He obliged, happy enough to pull her closer and press his tongue into her core. It was met with a soft breath moan from her, her back relaxing deeper into the bed. She could feel the smile pressed against her as he pushed deeper into her. Two fingers slipped inside of her and her walls squeezed around her.

He groaned, his pants beginning to feel tighter as his erection sprang to life just from the feel of her. He pulled away to remove his jeans and find a condom. He was back on her in second and Natalie's pulled him closer. They kissed again, deep and heady. She flipped them, with her on top, her pussy teasing his cock. He moaned and grit his teeth, his hips jerking up as his mind went hazy with arousal.

His hands moved to her ass as he ground rougher. She bit her lip, her hands tightening to fists on his chest. Natalie moaned and whined, moaning his name breathlessly.

Trevor couldn't take it anymore, he positioned her correctly and thrust up. He slipped into her effortlessly, both of them moaning from the sensation. She began riding him with, slow at first, adjusting to the feel of being filled. But her pace quickened as their need grew. His fingers dug into her flesh mumbling sweet nothings as his cock disappeared inside of her. She moaned all the while, her breasts bouncing with each movement.

Natalie was close to coming and she knew Trevor wasn't that far off either. She leaned down to kiss him again, “Harder, baby.” She begged in a breathy whisper.

He flipped her so she was lying flat, her legs wrapped around him, ushering him to go deeper. His teeth grit as her nails dig into his back. The became louder, she nearly screamed as he hit her g spot so perfectly. She came within a few more thrusts, and as her walls tightened and squeezed him, he followed soon after.

They sank into the bed, riding the last of their orgasmic highs until theirs muscles loosened. Natalie couldn't help but stop the goofy grin that grew on her face. She turned her head to see him, it was clear he was as satisfied as her.

Trevor rose after a moment, removing the condom and tossing it in the trash. Natalie rolled onto her stomach watching him as he grabbed his jeans, “Leaving so soon?”

He pulled out his phone from his back pocket, “You know how it is.” He glanced at the lock screen, raising a brow, “You called last night?”

She paused, trying to recall, “I don't remember.” She had been black-out drunk after all.

He opened up his voice mail, leaving it on speaker. She was unintelligible at first, muttering at something in the room, most likely the TV. She then spoke to him, rambling on about nothing and Trevor gave an amused smile. He was about to delete the message when something came clear;

“I love you.”

The froze up, Natalie especially as her blood ran cold. She searched his face, praying he somehow didn't hear it. But he did it was obvious. She never wanted to tell him and she was trying to come up with ways to play it off, but came up with none. Trevor had said it before, that he loved her, but that was only ever during sex where he wasn't thinking clearly in the first place. She wasn't thinking in the first place being drunk, but this was different. These weren't desperate words in search for orgasm. She spoke calmy, she spoke seriously when she said it.

He turned to her, expecting an explanation but there was none. Neither could come up with anything to say to each other.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie is faced with a life changing situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So excited for yall to read this chapter, definitely more to come

Chapter 26

Seaview Road hadn't been this busy in awhile. If there ever was a hum of activity, it came from the airfield. But this time the noise and the attention laid its eyes on the other side of the road, overlooking the Alamo Sea. Natalie watched from McKenzie as cops and agents alike dug up the Alamo's shore. Onlookers lining the caution tape tried to sneak a peak at what they could possibly find in that cesspit. Natalie already knew, she just wanted a confirmation of her fears.

There was a shout from an officer, they found something. A body. Natalie couldn't see it from the distance she stood, but she already knew who it was. Her incredibly short-lived boyfriend, Avery. Or at least what was left of him.

The officers on duty were quick to hide the body from the prying public. And just as he was secure, Paul, the man in charge turned towards Natalie's direction. He must have known she had been there the whole time. Because as he remove the aviators off his face, he was looking directly at her, his mouth in a hard line.

Natalie didn't stick around for any questions. She returned to her car parking on the airfield and put it into gear before pulling off.

There was something awful bubbling inside of her. Her future was being laid out before her and she had no control over it. Natalie began doubting everything she did. If she didn't date Avery. If she never met Trevor. If she had just been the person her parents wanted her to be. It was too late now and she was going to live her last days of freedom the best she could..

That wasn't even promising since Trevor found out she loved him. He hadn't said anything to her because there really wasn't anything to say. He didn't love her, and since that day two days ago she hadn't even caught a whiff of him. He must've split to Los Santos, finding a home in The Vanilla Unicorn like he often did in his trips down there.

She parked outside her trailer and looked at it with a new fondness. It wouldn't be hers for long if Paul had anything to do with it. Natalie was about to make it up to her porch when she noticed a medium-sized package tucked under her mailbox. She picked it up and carried it inside. The second she was in she already reaching for a knife to cut it open.

Natalie spied the return address, a place up in Paleto Bay. She didn't recognise it as her parents or Rebecca's so she could only imagine who it was. She cut up the tape and opened it up, inside there was something covered in paper and on top a letter.

She went for the letter first, opening it up and seeing it was from her brother, Greg. It felt like forever since she'd seen him.

'Natalie, sorry I couldn't get these to you sooner, its what grandma had left behind for you. Call me when you get this'

Natalie thought she didn't think a lot about her brother, but she realised she thought even less about her grandmother. She forgot Greg had mentioned something was left for her, that day was stressful and it was the last thing on her mind.

She tossed the letter aside and went for what was wrapped up. She teared the paper up and found clothing. Curious, she pulled out the article on top. A dress. It was old, surely from the 70's or even earlier, but it was still gorgeous. It looked high quality too, someone could've very well played hundreds for it by now.

She looked down to find more tucked inside, at least seven. She found each one gorgeous, soft, delicate fabrics consisting of lace and some satin. She quickly took off the clothes she was wearing and slipped into the dress. After a small struggle to button the back she went to her mirror. The A-line fit her well and the color was perfect, she was reminded how she was the spitting image of her grandmother, which made her heart ache.

If she wasn't good enough for her parents, she could have at least been good enough for the only person to believe in her. It was too late to fret now so she went back to admiring herself. She didn't notice Trevor was there until she turned to put on another dress.

He was leaning against the door frame leading to her room, watching her. Natalie frowned, unable to believe he thought to show his face after he'd been ignoring her.

She certainly didn't act friendly to him, crossing her arms, “What are you doing here?”

Trevor wasn't looking directly at her, instead at her dress. She felt excited and pissed at the same time. Excited that she looked as good as she thought she did, pissed he would dare check her out.

His attention finally went to her. “You don't love me.”

She paused, staring at him for a moment to see if he had an explanation. He gave none. “Pardon?”

Trevor stood up straight. He crossed his arms as well, matching her aggressiveness. “When you said you loved me. You don't.”

Natalie still wasn't entirely sure she was hearing him right. “And how do you know?”

He scoffed, arrogance never looked good on him. “Because I said so. I know how people like you are.” He made people like her sound so disgusting.

She wasn't in the mood for his erratic anger. “It doesn't work like that.”

He threw his hands up. “Of course it can!”

She shook her head, frustrated. “This is crazy, Trevor. Do you think I wanted to tell you that I loved you?”

Trevor went on the defensive. “Well, why not?”

She couldn't help but laugh, but it was humorless. He had to be higher than a kite, else he wouldn't be this infuriating. “Because you would act like this! This is stupid! I'm sorry I love you!”

He growled, “You don't.”

She rolled her eyes, tired of this already. “I do. I wish I-”

“You don't.” He said with a little more force as he interrupted her.

She grit her teeth, “Trev-”

He was in her face, his eyes boring into hers, bloodshot. “You fucking don't. Do you understand?”

She flinched, taking a step back. She couldn't believe him and how downright cruel he was being. But she wasn't going to be cowed, she hated him right then. “Get the fuck out of my house.”

He stared down at her, looking like he wanted to say or do something. Maybe kill her. Which was fine because she'd take him down with her. Instead, Trevor straightened out and marched out the door, slamming it as he left.

Natalie rubbed her face, wanting to scream and cry. She did both.. Screaming out her frustration as tears welled up in her eyes. She hated him, mostly because she knew she didn't. How could be so stupidly mean? She'd always been with him and he was always there to shove her away.

She was on the floor, sat up against the wall. She didn't want to be there for long so she wouldn't ruin the dress, which she didn't feel nearly as pretty in.

\---------

Natalie hadn't heard anything from the cops in the past few days. She almost felt like they weren't going to catch her, but she knew better than to think her luck was ever good. Trevor had vanished again, but not from Sandy Shores this time. Just her life. She knew he was around, just avoiding her, or maybe just acting like she didn't exist.

She thought this was the end, or soon to be. And if they split she couldn't see a future working for him. Not that she planned to work long since she'd be arrested any day now. Either way, she was due on payment and she'd be damned if she didn't get it.

She got in her car after spending the day sunbathing on her lawn, planning to pick up her last check so she could splurge before she was incarcerated. She made it to McKenzie and noticed Trevor's Bodhi parked by the trailer, just what she needed.

Nat debated whether to park or not, but it was now or never. And if he was going to pretend like she didn't exist, then she could do the same. She got out and approached the trailer just as he was leaving.

For a second she thought he was going to ignore her. Instead he stopped, speaking to her as if there was no drama. “What are you doing here?”

She was taken aback for a moment before shaking out of her haze. “I'm picking up my check.”

He nodded as if he heard, but something else seemed to be on his mind. “Chef is going to need you to do a supply run with in next Friday.”

She frowned softly, shaking her head. “I can't, I quit.”

He raised a brow looking incredulous. “You're quitting.”

She nodded, “Yeah.”

“Why?”

She scoffed. “Why? Why do you think? You humiliated me.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “So you're going to quit because of a fight.”

She ran a hand through her hair, “Jesus, Trevor. It's not just a fight; this was- this is huge.”

“It doesn't have to be.”

Natalie shook her head, he just wasn't going to understand. Maybe he refused to. “If you don't tell me you love me right now, I'm out.”

He squinted, “Excuse me?”

She sighed, feeling worn out, “I'm serious. If you don't say it I'm gone. From all this, I'll leave. I know you love me too and you don't want to say it. But I'm not going to wait for you.”

He watched her, trying to see her crack. But she didn't, she was deathly serious and unwilling to budge. He wasn't going to move either. “I don't love you.”

Nat almost looked disappointed, but she expected this response. “Is that really all you want to say?”

A car was pulling up, some new model that they didn't recognise. It stopped in front of the two and the engine cut. Paul stepped out, removing his sunglasses, and looking directly at Natalie.

“Ms. Blaine, I'm here to take you in for the murder of Avery Willis.”

Natalie frowned deeply. Of course they would come at the worst possible moment. She wished she could have called Rebecca and told her she loved her. Or just have Trevor tell her the same. She hadn't even had the time to tell Trevor they found the body, if she had, maybe he could get her out of this mess. But she was out of time now and she wasn't going to put up a fight.

She sighed, beginning to approach Paul and accept her fate. But stopped short by a gunshot. She immediately went to the source of the sound and realised it was from Trevor. She didn't even realise he was packing, but of course he was. Natalie looked back at Paul and found him on the ground, just as dead as Avery.

Her heart stopped and her eyes widened. She wanted to scream but her throat went dry. She was fucked now, beyond fucked. She would've gotten a few years for Avery, but this was cop killing. Though she didn't do it, she was there and didn't stop that. She was going to rot in prison and then in hell.

She looked back at Trevor, begging for him to come up with something. He looked at Paul's body, then to her. “I don't love you.”

\-----

It was any day now until she was arrested. And rather than celebrate her last bits of freedom, she spent her days pacing, drinking and crying. A lot of crying. Trevor was gone and so was the rest of her life. She felt so horrible alone. And she was drowning with no means of safety. Maybe she should just off herself and avoid the pain she was going to feel.

Even after what Trevor did to her, she worried about him. Paul was an important guy and he was murdered in broad daylight. If someone didn't see them it would be a miracle. But someone had to, there was always someone snooping around.

She had come to a conclusion early in the morning when she was still drunk. And that idea stuck with her even when she was sober. She had to get some affairs in order, and all it took was a few phone calls.

The first was Rebecca, she couldn't bear to say goodbye, but she had told her she loved her. Which was enough. Then is was Janet, who was a lot harder. Janet knew something was up, just like she always did. Natalie asked for forgiveness and Janet gave it despite not knowing her future discretion. She was always the mom she wanted.

She didn't reach out to Trevor, their bed was made and there was no turning back. Natalie dumped her phone and her gun deep in the desert, where no one but a couple wily kids would find them. But by the time the desert got a good hold of them, they'd be useless.

The drive was quiet, the silence was the only thing that kept her calm. She parked in front of the Sheriff Station, leaving the keys in the car.

Inside it was quietly busy, people waiting for people to be released and various other delinquencies. Natalie made it up front where a bored officer sat and played solitaire. He only stopped to look up at her from his glasses, “Can I help you?”

Natalie swallowed the lump rising in her throat, “I'd like to turn myself in.”

He raised a brow at her, “And for what, ma'am?”

She had her head raised high, trying to not look as shit scared as she felt. “I killed my ex boyfriend... and a cop.”


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie is in jail while Trevor tries to tie up loose ends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did this in a day im so happy. Also i posted this at 5 am im gonna die.
> 
> ALSO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHATCHA THINK

Chapter 27

 

Natalie had been expecting a visitior since she got in. And after a week she wasn't surprised when the officer on duty told her someone was waiting for her.

She followed the officer through winding corridors to the visitation center. Natalie had yet to visit this area of the jail, but it was as she expected. A glass wall was the barrier between the criminals and their loved ones, with phones at each table for them to talk through. Natalie was lead to a seat facing who she used to call her boyfriend.

Some part of her didn't think that Trevor would come by. But since Natalie had taken the fall for him, maybe he felt like he owed her. His face, which was worn down from meth and a recent lack of sleep, didn't look that grateful. She almost didn't want to pick up the phone, but did anyways. Her handcuffs clacking noisily against it.

“I don't think orange is my color.” She joked. The last time they spoke they weren't on good terms by any means. But she didn't have the energy to fight. And besides, this past week was the loneliest she ever had to face, she need the interaction.

“What the fuck did you do?” Trevor was apparently in no mood. It was rare to find him this serious.

She frowned softly, unhappy to find this visit wouldn't be pleasant. She leaned back in her metal chair, “You know what I did.”

He glared, his mouth close to the receiver and his tone low to not draw any attention. “You didn't kill that cop fucker.”

She shrugged, “I said I did, didn't I?”

His fist clenched and his knuckles turned white. He nearly yelled but managed to keep a hushed tone. “Do you know how stupid this is? They could kill you!”

Natalie had considered that before actually. The death penalty wasn't common in San Andreas, but it did happen. And someone who killed a cop could certainly fit the bill for lethal injection.. She was hoping it didn't come to that, but she was learning to come to peace with it if it did.

“They were going to find out about Avery soon enough, jail was bound to happen.” Nat said plainly, she already had this part rehearsed in her head. She had plenty of time for it after all.

He grit his teeth, taking all he had not to blow up. “Why would you do this?”

Natalie sighed, leaning forward again. “Only one of us had to go to prison. And a lot more people depend on you.” Also she loved him, but they both knew that already. They were silent for a moment, staring each other down. Then she cracked a smile, “Why do you care?”

She tried to annoy him and it succeeded, “I don't.” He hung up his phone after that, getting up and leaving her behind.

Nat wished she hadn't done that. She wished she had more time to be around him, even if he hated her. It was lonely here and the girls weren't to friendly. But she had to suck it up. Natalie was going to be spending a lot of time inside and she wasn't going to be seeing him again.

–

Trevor

How could she be so stupid? Murdering a boyfriend was common in most of San Andreas, at worst a few years. But she said she killed a cop. A cop of all people. If she didn't get life, she would be the luckiest person in the world.

What she did was dumb, beyond dumb. She didn't have to. No one asked or wanted her to do what she did. Trevor was fuming on the drive back into Los Santos, narrowly missing any car that had the misfortune to be near him. If she had just let him handle everything she wouldn't be another thing to stress him out.

Michael was already being a prick, and Franklin was only a little better. Merryweather wanted him in the ground and so did the FIB. And now Natalie. Fucking Natalie.

She didn't love him, how could she if she pulled this stunt? She didn't love him, no one ever did. Natalie was just trying to screw with him like everyone else. He was sick of this, thinking for a second he could trust someone. What could she want from him? Money? Drugs? Or was he just something to manipulate for fun?

Fuck her, he hated her. Hated her.

His phone buzzed in his pocket just as he saw the city skyline. The screen showed Lester was trying to reach him. He wasn't the last person Trevor wanted to hear from, but he hated everyone right now.

“What do you want?” He growled, acid leaking out of his voice..

Lester spoke with the same level-headedness he almost always had, “I see your mood hasn't gotten better. Something's come up, something huge.”

Yet another something to piss him off. “What now?”

“Steven Haines and Devin Weston are moving in on you, Michael and Franklin. They're going to want to do something big and get all three of you out of the picture. We're going to try to bring them down. Merryweather and The FIB are expecting you at the foundry off of El Rancho any minute now. Michael and Frank will be there to take them down with you.”

Trevor paused. Silence was something Lester never heard from Trev, he almost thought he died. This was huge, bigger than what Trevor could ever expect. But as much as this would make the common man cower in fear, Trevor was no common man. In fact, he was excited. Killing off an enemy or two -or a dozen- was stress relief. Getting how mad he was out with the thing he was best at.

Heading further south, Natalie was the last thing on his mind. She was still there. But who had been occupying his thoughts for too long now was replaced with blood lust.

–

Devin was dead and Trevor couldn't get the grin off his face. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this good. Blood on his hands and smelling like metal, his best state. It was late by then, Frank, Mikey, Lester, and himself all celebrating the destruction of their enemies. There was nothing stopping them now. But of course that only happened when they had all the money they could ever want.

They were all in Franklin's home, Trevor sitting out by the pool, looking over the city. He hated Los Santos deeply. But drunk and happy he had to admit it was sometimes pretty. Michael soon approached him, walking unsteadily with a beer in his hand. All of them were fairly drunk.

“Someone's going to have to carry Lester home.” Michael remarked, dragging a lounge chair to sit beside his long time friend.

“Not it.” Trevor replied simply, earning a chuckle from his friend.

Silence fell over them for awhile. This time is was comfortable, after so many silence before were left tense between them. Whatever issues they had were resolved for at least tonight. Right now they could relax and shine in their victory. They were kings in their trade.

Eventually Michael spoke up again, “Lester said Natalie is in jail.”

Trevor frowned, the beer in his mouth suddenly tasting foul. He swallowed it and the lump in his throat. “Yeah.”

“Why?”

If Michael noticed how touchy the subject was he must not have cared. “She turned herself in for killing her ex and a cop.”

Mikey looked a bit stunned, “She killed a cop?”

“No, I did.”

Mike reclined back, “Well that's no surprise. Why would she say she did it?” Trevor didn't reply, and after a pause Michael got it, sounding even more stunned, “She loves you?”

Trevor tensed up. He didn't jumped out of his seat, but he was close to doing so. “What like that's so shocking? That anyone would love me?” He had just said no one could only hours ago, but it stung more hearing someone else confirm it.

Michael set down his bear, raising both his hands to Trevor. “Trevor, come on, take it easy. I didn't mean it like that.” Trevor relaxed after a second. “So she loves you.”

“That's up for debate.”

Michael raised a brow, but didn't press into that, instead going another direction. “Well... do you love her?”

Trev scoffed, “No.”

He watched him, hoping he'd explain. It looked like he'd have to be prompted. “Well... why not?”

He scoffed. “What do you mean why not?”

Michael sighed, “You two are always together. She murder people for you, Trevor. You were able to love that Mexican housewife pretty quickly., why not her?”

“Because...” He had to think of something. “It's different.”

Michael had to laugh a little. Trevor was being ridiculous, then again he usually was. He heaved himself up with a groan, tossing his empty bottle over the infinity pool. “Yeah, well, I'll give you some time to tell me how it's different.”

And with that he went back outside, letting Trevor enjoy the rest of the night alone.

It was different. Patrica was so easy, so nice. Nothing like the women he usually met. Natalie was stubborn and tough and willing to get her hands dirty. Nothing like the women he usually met...

Maybe it was different, but not by much. Maybe just maybe, Natalie really did love him. Maybe Trevor loved her too.

His phone rang just before the sun was able to reach the edges of the sky. He couldn't imagine who would be calling by now. Not everyone was up at his strange hours. But as he looked to the screen to see the source of his disturbance. His heart skipped a beat, he felt almost sick and almost thrilled at the same time. Speak of the devil and all that.

He answered quickly. “Patrica? Is everything okay?”


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its been a bit. This chapter is very short but mostly because I wanted to tell yall why everything is so delayed. You see, I got a job and it takes up a load of my time. And any free time I have, I spend drinking heavily. So no real time for writing or art in general.  
> This chapter might seem wonky but its just me trying to segway into the good stuff, aka Trevor. Literally, hes not in this chapter at all, sorry.
> 
> BUT I DO HAVE SHIT PLANNED SO PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH ME

Chapter 27

Nights out in Blaine county were so quiet and still, but country silence did not compare to prison silence. A night alone was calm and beautiful. But the silence there, where Natalie resided for much too long now was terrifying. And the fear never quite went away.

Natalie expected to rot in prison, a cop killer deserved no less in the eyes of the law. But instead of a life sentence, she got a year. Just one year.

She didn't expect much out of her trial, not even bothering to hire a lawyer. She was instead satisfied with whoever the court would appoint her. But instead of some struggling lawyer she expected, a wonder-kid walked into her life. He was tall, tanned, and confident. A friend of the troubled stars who could've starred in movies with a face like his.

But instead he was sitting across from her, explaining after a charitable donation to his bank account he would represent her. She asked who would do that but he refused to say. She could imagine it was Trevor, though she couldn't imagine why. Though it could be Michael who would probably have someone like him in his contact list. But again, she couldn't imagine why he would do it. She wasn't going to deny his help however, if by some miracle she could get out of this, then she would be more than happy.

The lawyer was a godsend. He charmed absolutely everyone he came in contact with during his time with her. He worked tirelessly with his legal team; finding every bad cop, every loophole to get Nat out as soon as possible. And they did amazing work.

It first started with Avery. His body had been found and there was an obvious bullet wound in him. With the added confession, there was hardly a doubt in anyone’s mind Natalie didn't do it. But her lawyer denied the notion, claiming with how long his body had been rotting in water, there was no evidence she could have done it. She had no visible history with guns and the only reason she confessed was due to overwhelming stress in her current life. That's at least what people were made to believe.

People died, and Blaine county wasn't that safe a place. So after time, Avery's death was deemed unsolvable and no charges were made.

As for Paul, despite the stakes being higher, it seemed almost easier than before. In his career, Paul was a hard worker, but he had a history of off the books investigation. Including some detail that might have lead to his own line of criminal activity. Whether it was true or not, there was no sign of Paul. His car was gone, there wasn't any trail that could be lead to him. He could've been kidnapped, could've run away. And once again, the only reason Natalie confessed was stress. She was recovering from the news her friend was missing, and what Paul was doing could have been considered stalking.

Paul's disappearance was tragic, but his actions weren't always so pure. And Natalie had no obvious hand in wherever he might be.

So it left her with only one charge left, something she didn't mean to happen. When she turned herself in she forgot to check her pockets. And in one was a baggie of cocaine. She didn't kick herself then because it was the least worrisome of her offenses. However, it was a bit of an issue now.

Natalie only had a bit so she would at most be given a misdemeanor charge, since San Andrea's drug laws were so lax. She was a first time offender too, so she was only faced with a year. Even though a year was bad enough, it could have been worse and Natalie decided not to fight it.

So a year she stayed inside a minimum security facility. With three meals a day and lights out by 9:30. The women she spent her life with were from any walk of life, but all with one thing in common, they messed up somehow and got caught. She made enemies and a few she could consider friends, though they were only that way until one was able to leave.

Her day had come, where she was allowed return to her regular life. The again, she no longer had a life outside prison. She hadn't seen Trevor in ages, her home was gone, her job was no longer hers. She had to start brand new again, and she wasn't sure if she could do it.

But then there was Janet, her guardian angel throughout everything. Janet had visited Natalie whenever she could and kept tabs on her. Even holding onto her important documents and items until she came back. And with no home to go to and not much money left in her name, Janet offered her a place to stay.

When Natalie stepped foot out of the prison she was greeted by her and a blisteringly hot day. Janet went to hug her and Natalie nearly cried. She missed contact and felt overwhelmed by her new-found freedom. Jane looked down at her, trying to see what had changed over the months apart. Natalie's eyes that were a steel gray seemed even more intense. Maybe it was the dark circles under her eyes that were darker than they ever had been. She looked slightly terrifying.

Janet wanted to ask her about everything that happened, to make sure her baby was safe and sound. But Natalie looked tired and at the same time excited. There was a world she hadn't seen in so long and a place she wanted to leave behind. So Janet instead just lead her back to her station wagon to take her home.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yall, I got a few days off work finally and I might get some writing done. Get hype

Chapter 29

Trevor's front yard normally equated to a small junkyard. But now, with the help of Patricia, it was almost something to be proud of. Tires, glass, and any other odds and ends that found its way into his territory had been removed over a day or two. What was left in its place was clean space and a small garden in the corner that Mrs. Madrazo could take pride in.

When Trevor was around her he was calmer, more subdued. The town could breath easy whenever Patricia came around and she often did. It started with a phone call over a year ago, Patricia just missed him so bad. Martin had been treating her better like he promised but a piece of her heart remained where she had been kidnapped.

So she would come every week or so, just to spend time with Trevor and occasionally Michael whenever he came by. Which was increasingly more rare, in his mind, Patricia only caused more issues, and who knew when it was going to blow up in his friend's face.

Trevor just returned home from a day with Patricia. She insisted on getting flowers for his lawn and he of course let her do as she wanted, he always did. Returning back to Sandy Shores without her, he saw the things prettying up his lawn as dumb. If they hadn't been put there by Patricia he might've just abused them.

He parked haphazardly like he always did and found Ron waiting for him on his porch. He seemed more fidgety than usual and that was almost concerning. As Trevor hopped out of his truck Ron was hurrying down the steps to meet up with him.

He was already winded with all that flailing he did, “Boss! Boss, you're not going to believe this! I was down by the airfield like you told me to and I thought I go get something to drink. And I know you told me to stay put and I'm sorry, but-”

“Ron!” Trevor barked, the easy demeanor he had earlier with Patricia had already disappeared, luckily it silenced his lackey’s blabbering. “Out with it already.”

Ron gulped the lump in his throat, “Natalie. She's out.”

That made Trevor pause. Stop long enough for Ron wonder if he heard him, or if the hologram that was their world finally glitched like he always expected it would.

He hadn't heard that name in forever, and barely thought about her. He had hired her lawyer but wasn't very involved in the case other than that. He was still upset with her, how she thought he needed protecting. That she could be that stupid. Trevor heard that she would somehow only get a year, but he didn't believe it. There was no way she would even step foot out of prison.

But here Ron was telling her she was out, even though he corrected himself and said it could very well be her body double sent by the government. Trevor cut him off for the second time, demanding to know where he saw her. Ron said she was at the Yellow Jack last, she must have resumed her job there.

In an instant Trevor was back in the Bodhi, having to see for himself if she was there. He didn't want to think of why his heart was racing and why he just had to see her. He had wrestled with what she said for awhile. That she loved him. Even after all this time, he still cringed at the thought. He didn't want to put much thought in it, all it did was make his head ache. But as he was going at top speeds it was obvious that he still cared for her.

He braked hard as he arrived at the parking lot, dirt kicking up around his squealing tires. Just as he stepped out he saw her. She was just getting into a station wagon when he came to a halt. She was watching him for a second and Trevor was left speechless. She really was out. How? He didn't know. But she was right there.

She looked just the same as he remembered but something was different. He couldn't figure out what, exactly, but it was on the tip of his tongue. She was calm, not surprised to see him or even happy for that matter. The look she gave him could've frozen over all of Blaine county, but it was just pointed at him. Something in his stomach didn't feel right, something was twisted like it would whenever Patrica would return to her husband.

Natalie didn't stay long enough for Trevor to come up with something to say, snarky or otherwise. She got into the car, which Trevor identified as Janet's before pulling out of the parking lot. She didn't bother to give him a parting glance.

He wasn't sure what to do now, he hadn't even arrived with a plan. Maybe he just still was in disbelief that made him get back into his truck. He considered going inside and interrogating Janet for more information on what the hell was going on. But he didn't want to get chewed out by her on whatever new dumb shit she heard he did. No, he just returned home.

Natalie was some he spent more than his fair share of time with but for some reason he couldn't figure out what was different. He went inside and grabbed himself a beer, finding himself reeling for their barely-there encounter. She was mad. That was fair; he hadn't been civil during their last encounter. But to be mad for so long? Prison did that. He remembered his time and all that was there to take up the days was to think. And thinking had a way of screwing with someones head.

He sat himself on the couch and surveyed the room that Patrica had cleaned spotless once again. That woman was a saint but he couldn't stop thinking about Natalie. Why? Patrica had been the object of his affection for so long, things were easy between them, manageable. But with Nat, things were never finished. There was still something to be said. And he knew what that was. His mouth went dry. He finished the rest of his beer in seconds and was already reaching for another. Maybe he could drink the thought away but it was already there.

He loved her and he had to tell her that. But as that became clear, something else did too. Whatever was so different about her wasn't how she looked exactly. He remembered her in the good times. After a night of drinking and her by his side, she smelled like sex and gunpowder thanks to him. She had smiled at him, one that reached to her eyes and crinkled. It had made his cold, cold heart flutter ever so slightly then. But it wasn't just the smile, or how she knew to slow down just right when he was about to come. It was the deep care he knew she had for him.

And when he saw her just minutes ago, that's what changed. That smile was gone and the affection she had for him died. It had died a long time ago. And even with Patrica back in his life, he felt alone again.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooaaahhhhh I posted?
> 
> I have a good excuse this time, I had bought myself a brand new gaming laptop and became reasonably obsessed, but heres a new chapter!! yay!

Chapter 30

While Natalie was in prison she met a girl about her age with a deep scar cut across her chest. She was a part of a local Chinese Mafia and had been arrested after a drug bust. Natalie remembered seeing it in the paper a few years ago. Her and this girl became close during their incarceration, and this girl eventually offered her a little work when Nat eventually got out.

After only a week out, Natalie knew her old bar job just wasn't going to cut it. She had been living with Janet, and as amazing a woman as she was, Natalie needed a place of her own. She had been handed a slip of paper with a phone number on it before she left, told that when she needed to, call and they could help her out.

Natalie went back to Janet's home after her shift, having just seen Trevor for the first time in a year. Her stomach was finally untwisting from the uncomfortable knots they tied themselves in. She couldn't figure out why they did that, she told herself that Trevor was not longer important in her life. He had left and wanted nothing to do with her. So she went on with her life. Or at least she thought she had.

It wasn't important now, he would probably show his face soon anyways. Natalie escaped into Janet's guest bedroom, which now served as her own room. She had only been around a week and nothing about it said lived in. She took the slip of paper and dialed the faded number on her dinky pre-paid phone. With a deep breath she hit the call button. She wasn't entirely sure what to expect or even what to say, but she was putting her hopes on this. And there was no way she would crawl back to Trevor for a job.

The call went to an automated voice mail. Maybe the number was old and given up. It was a shame, but nothing else she could do. She hung up and tossed the phone on the bed with a sigh. Looking for work was gonna be a little more tough than she wanted.

Her phone buzzed alive from an incoming call. She grabbed it and looked at the screen, the number she just dialed showed up on the screen. She gave a questioning 'hello' and a curt voice nearly interrupted her. “I expected you to call sooner.” He sounded annoyed, his accent was slight, “We have a job for you tomorrow morning, I will send you the details soon. Bring a piece.”

He hung up just as quickly, leaving no room for questions. At least he was offering work. And after a minute she received a text. They'd be meeting by the oil derricks by sunrise, it was short notice, but it would be easier to just jump right in. Now the concern was finding a gun, Natalie couldn't afford one on her salary, at least not without more saving up. She didn't have time for that, and her only option was to take the one Janet had. It was a pistol stuffed inside a drawer in the kitchen, the most action it could have seen was maybe a coyote or two. It would have to do for now, though she was nervous Janet would find out.

Janet was the only person she had left, Rebecca had disappeared sometime during Nat's trial. Natalie wasn't offended, she knew sooner or later her life would find her best friend. And she wouldn't demand her to accept it. It was a shame she left when Natalie needed her most. But hopefully Becca moved on to better things.

But Janet was still around, she took her in and helped her out when she was alone. It was going to be sad to disappoint her, but living under her roof wasn't living. Natalie wanted freedom now more than ever, and she wasn't going to get that on a bar wage. Hopefully in time, Janet would understand.

Nat took the gun and transported it to under her bed for safe keeping. Hopefully if she needed to use it, she was still a fair shot. Prison didn't provide many opportunities for practice. This job was her interview, and she had to make a good impression, hopefully she didn't kill herself in the process.

–

Morning came too quickly, Natalie wasn't sure if the pit in her stomach was anxiety or excitement. Probably both. She drove out early, wanting to make a good impression. She hadn't been up this early in ages, and she was throwing all her hope on the coffee she secured in the cup holder. As she drove, she was reminded of her jobs with Trevor. She was sure they would be similar, or she wouldn't have received the job in the first place.

Trevor was a subject she spent too much time thinking about. She didn't think she missed him anymore. He had to have moved on, perhaps back with Patricia, or finding another woman to screw around with. Though maybe not, she didn't expect to see him at The Yellow Jack, especially looking like he came just to see her. Why in the world would he want to? He made his stance clear that he wasn't happy with her and he made no effort to see her. Maybe he had a change of heart. Maybe that change should have happened sooner.

She made it to the derricks, where the people she was supposed to meet were even earlier than she was. There were only two, both from the Chinese Mafia. She parked alongside their SUV, killing the engine and hoping out. She walked up to both of the men while she tried to look as confident as possible. She extended her hand to one of them. Each of them exchanged pleasantries before the leader of the group, a man name Bai, spoke of her job.

“Your job is simple, we will be heading into Los Santos where you will help deliver a package to a supplier. I will give you further instruction on the way.”

It seemed simple, hopefully it was. She agreed, getting into the back seat of the SUV while the other two took the front. She ignored previous lessons of not getting into cars with strangers while they nagged at her.

Bai did explain more, she would be carrying a backpack to a disclosed location while both of them covered her from the rooftop. She didn't ask what would be in this backpack, it wasn't her business. She also didn't ask why she was the one to deliver it; she was the expendable one in this. She didn't like that very much, but there wasn't much she could do.

Eventually they made it to Los Santos, she felt a pang in her chest. She didn't realise she missed this city before. Hopefully she could go sight-seeing again in the future. 

They parked on the side of a quieter street. She hopped out with the backpack slung over one shoulder, making sure he gun was still tucked firmly in her waistband and her jacket pulled over it.

She looked to the two men joing her, who nodded at her then went off their separate ways. She turned and followed her own path, a small alleyway she was instructed to go. She followed along the walls and turns till she found the door she was looking for. An old back door with a man sitting on the steps leading to it. He was older and pudgy, his shirt and stained from days and days of wear, and fat fingers straining under cheap rings. She wouldn't trust him if she was alone. She looked it, but hopefully her cover was good at their jobs and would [protect her if needed.

“You who I'm waiting for?” He asked through a mouthful of chew tobacco. The way he said it made her skin crawl. Like she was his escort for the night.

“Seems so.” She unhooked her backpack from her shoulder and held it out for him.

He took the opportunity to stand up, grabbing the backpack and forcibly dragging it and her closer. His breath smelled like something out of a sewer, she resisted the urge to cringe, “Anything else for me?”

Natalie's hand immediately went for her gun, and somehow she could possibly hear the click of another gun in the distance. The guy's eyes went skyward, before he let her go. With annoyance, he huffed, “Nevermind.”

She instantly took a step back when she was freed as he went for the bag of his own at his side. He shoved it into her hands, “This should be enough. Get out of here.”

She didn't have to be told twice, she took the bag and headed back to the SUV where she waited for the others to return. She still checked her back to make sure the man didn't follow her. She didn't trust him one bit, and something in her told her he'd do the world the favour if he was dead. 

The others arrived seeming unarmed, quickly taking the bag from her and looking through it. She caught a glimpse of green as the checked the contents and her excitement grew. If she even got a fraction of it, it would be a job well done.

She didn't ask for her cut until they packed back into the SUV and made it back to her car in Sandy Shores. They took out 700 and put it in her hands. It wasn't a lot, but it was definitely worth it for dealing with a creep. They let her know they'd be calling again if they needed her help. Hopefully, it was sooner rather than later.

They parted ways, Natalie returning to her car and driving back to Janet's. It felt good to have money back in her pocket again. If this job worked out she could be well on her way to a house again. Maybe she'd move down to Los Santos, the pickings in Sandy Shores weren't great unless you wanted a job with Trevor or The Lost. Neither of which was what she wanted.

She pulled down a dirt road to a series of houses, these were slightly nicer than the rest scattered around the lower half of Sandy Shores. But it didn't stop people for saying they were rich. Janet's house was as the end, a one story house that was nice, but worn from the dessert's strains. She pulled in beside the house, to find a truck already there.

She groaned, how did Trevor figure out where Janet lived? She found him leaning against the front of the Bodhi, petting the little teddy bear that designed the grill. It was falling by there, the wind and weather doing it no favors. Nat considered just pulling back and driving off. But she had a feeling he was going to keep following unless she spoke to him.

Natalie guess now was a good time as any to set the record straight. She got out of the car, making sure to hide her newly made cash and gun where he couldn't see. He looked a little better than when she had last seen him. He had showered recently, he was trying to impress her.

Trevor stood up straight from his leaning position, though his arms still crossed, “I didn't see you at the bar.”

“Yeah, I don't live there, so.” She returned, matching his arms crossed look.

He huffed, perhaps not expecting to be so curt with him. But what else could he have expected. “I didn't realise you lived at Janet's. You know, if you needed a place to live, I could have-”

“No,” She cut him off, shaking her head, “I don't want or need your help.”

He narrowed his gaze, it was something she remembered distinctly before. She had to realise, if he wanted her back or not, he was still dangerous and impulsive, she had to speak carefully, “You needed it when I gave you that lawyer.”

She suspected he did, but didn't confirm it. It was true, if he didn't help her out, she'd either still be in jail or taking a lethal injection. “I don't need it now.”

Trevor scoffed, gesturing quickly to the house beside them, “So your just gonna live here? Under Janet's roof?”

Natalie was getting irritated, “It's better than living under yours.” So much for being careful around him.

He was closer to her, she forgot how tall he was. But she stood her ground, “Excuse me?”

Her eyes narrowed with him, hands falling to her side and balling into fists, “How's Patricia, Trevor?”

He was quiet for a moment, perhaps surprised she knew about Patricia still being around. Natalie didn't know, but she had a hunch, and this confirmed it. “She's none of your business.”

Nat rolled her eyes, finding herself taking a step back. “Are you serious? What did you want? You to play 'house' with Patricia and me be your side piece?”

“No.”

“Or am I your housewife and she's your side piece?”

“No!”

She shook her head, collecting her house keys to leave this conversation, “You can't have both of us Trevor. You have to choose. And you better choose her, cause I'm not coming back.”

Trevor massaged his temples, speaking through a clenching and un-clenching jaw, “Will you just listen to me!”

“Trevor.” Another voice spoke, and both of them turned their heads to see Janet, who looked less than happy to find them bickering, “I'm going to ask you to leave.”

For some reason, after some fight of wills, Trevor obliged. He didn't want to make a huge scene, which usually was the opposite of what he wanted. But he knew it would bother Natalie, and as bull-headed as she was, he wanted to still have a chance.

“This isn't over Natalie.” He said to her as he turned back to his truck and went off to wherever. Natalie didn't doubt it.

She turned back to Janet when they were alone, who looked untrusting of Natalie's intentions. Nat shrugged, acting as if it was no big deal. Though her insides felt on fire.


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie leaves for LS

Chapter 31

“Please just... don't get yourself killed.” Janet said softly to Natalie, her voice one of love and worry.

Natalie shrugged it off, taking her last box of things and stuffing it into the trunk. She recently purchased a car. A used one that was a short ways away from being a complete dud, but still reliable enough to get her to where she needed to go. “I'll be okay, Janet.” She insisted.

Janet dropped her cigarette on the ground and snuffed it out with her shoe, her arms crossing over her chest, “I just worry, you know that.”

She nodded, closing up her trunk with a loud thunk. Of course Janet worried, she was the only one left to worry about Natalie. And here Natalie was, leaving for Los Santos, hopefully for good. Natalie looked over the desert around her, a place she'd grown familiar with, and that she had almost missed during her time in prison. But in the end, Nat was glad to be leaving. She missed Los Santos and all the opportunities there. She finally had her chance to take those opportunities.

Nat turned to her only friend, her bright eyes turning sad when she made her final goodbye, “Well, this is it.”

Janet pulled her into a tight hug, Natalie was sure Janet was more torn up about it than she was, “Call me as soon as you get there, you got that.”

She smiled slightly against her shoulder. She patted her on the back before prying herself out of Janet's grasp, “I will, I gotta go or I'll be late.”

Janet nodded, quick to swipe at her eyes as they parted. “Okay, okay. I'll talk to you soon. Drive safe.” It wasn't often Janet got weepy. In fact, Natalie wasn't sure she'd ever seen her cry. She couldn't even remember the last time anyone cried over her. But no one loved her like Janet did.

She nodded, and with that, she hopped into her car, taking one last look at Janet and her home before driving out towards the interstate.

Natalie couldn't help but feel a little homesick already. But she felt it was more because of what Sandy Shores was to her. It was once her beacon for freedom, a chance to live her life as she chose. And for awhile, that's what it was. She made money her way, had her own place to lay her head in, and she had someone at her side who meant so much to her. But it soured, soured sooner than she had hoped. Now it was just a land made up of her past mistakes. And Trevor would always be there to remind her of it.

Thanks to the jobs the Chinese had given her, she finally had the money to move forward. The money wouldn't last her much longer, but her next job would remedy that. A two month long job that could go permanent if she did well enough. This required her to move to Los Santos, though she didn't need much convincing. She hoped she could work it well enough, but she was confident.

The Los Santos skyline peaked over the mountain tops, and for some reason it made her think of Trevor. He had been on her mind a lot recently, and his frequent appearances in her life weren't helping. He wanted to make up for everything, which she applauded him for. However, the damage was done, and moving forward was really her only option.

The last she had seen him was only a few days ago. He was parked outside a gas station just as she left it, playing on his phone and only looking up when she exited. Natalie was sure he wanted her to believe it was coincidence, but she had a strong feeling he was keeping tabs on her. He had waved at her. She didn't. She wasn't sure what his game was there.

Natalie had to wonder where Patricia was in all of this. Trevor loved her, right? She was probably easier to win back than Natalie was. Trev just seemed like a sucker for torture.

Nat's destination lead her to the more northern side of Los Santos. To an apartment building painted a tacky, chipping teal that she now called home. The place was slightly ugly and way overpriced, but her bosses would be dealing with the price until she gained some footing in LS.

She parked in the car park beside the apartments and went for her things. As much as she would have liked to rest and visit the area of her new home, she had work to do that night, and sunset was approaching.

\---

Trevor found himself by The Yellow Jack Inn, a place he frequented recently. He figured he could torment Natalie until she talked. But as he opened the doors, he only found Janet, complaining to a bar-goer until he entered. It was a toss up between who was less impressed to see the other. Trevor was the first to speak up on it.

“Where's Natalie?” Some part in him worried that she might have gotten sick or hurt.

“Wouldn't you like to know.” She replied with a shortness in her tone. The last thing she needed today was Trevor and his mood swings, hopefully she could get him out quickly before he got erratic.

Trevor's hands rested on the bar between them, looking at her intently, “Yes, I would. It's why I asked.”

She could tell he was already getting wound up, perhaps the best option was to give him what he wanted. She turned her back to him, going for a dirty glass left behind, “She left.”

He tapped his foot impatiently, the pads of his fingers pressing into the wood under them, “Left??”

She sighed, turning back to him while she cleaned the glass in her hand with a dish rag, “Yes, Trevor, left. She moved out a few days ago to Los Santos.”

He cursed in his head, he didn't expect her to move away, not with how little money she was making at this dive bar. It could be she had another job somewhere, but he felt he would've known about it before she had the cash to head south.

“Where in Los Santos?” He spoke low, trying to pull himself back from blowing up and digging himself into a bigger hole.

Janet couldn't help but watch him carefully, “She didn't say.”

Trevor didn't believe it at first. Natalie and Janet were as thick as thieves, but he didn't feel like picking her brain further unless he wanted to start seeing red. It didn't stop him from letting out a frustrated groan as he made his way back outside to his truck.

Los Santos was only so big, Trev thought to himself as he went back to his trailer. He had found his dead friend there, it wouldn't be impossible to find Natalie. But it got him back to thinking about how she could afford it in the first place. She had to have had found some money around. Nothing in the area could pay her that quickly, nothing legal that is.

She sure wasn't picking up contracts with him, and there was no chance she'd get close to The Lost if she could help it. That left very few good options between the two of them. He'd have to look into it further, right now, he had a girl to win back.

\--

It was Natalie's fourth night out this week, and if she couldn't score anyone on a Friday night, there was no hope for her. She found herself at the Tequi-La-La dressed in something that was bordering the line between party girl and prostitute. Hopefully she looked approachable cause she wasn't interested in walking too much in heels that added 5 inches to her height.

Her job here was to find clients, hopefully the richer and more affluent the better. It was already rough starting up, she found a couple kids interested in a couple grams of smoke, but that was the only fruit of her efforts. She was hoping tonight she could reap in a big one, a friend of a friend of a celebrity at least. Or hell, even the guitarist of the band getting on stage in a few would suit her needs.

Nat's safest bet for now was a gaggle of drunk girls filtering into the women's restrooms. If anyone was willing to buy, it was girls getting wasted before midnight even hit. She hopped from her bar stool and moved through the slowly increasing crowd into the restroom. There she found the same girls taking over the wall length mirror, making sure they looked good enough for the band. With any luck, they could even get a wink.

Natalie wedged herself to the side, pretending to tend to the evenings makeup like they did. It started with a compliment, then several, like it usually did. And finally the question arose from Natalie. Would they want to take the night a step further.

The girls discussed it among themselves. It didn't take much convincing before they agreed. In no time, money and a good amount of cocaine, exchanged hands, and Natalie left the restroom like nothing happened. What just happened was a good start, but hopefully she could get her mojo back enough to get a decent stack before the night ends.

It was harder to connect with people since her time in jail, she didn't feel like herself anymore. It wasn't entirely a bad thing, but when it came to work, her biggest asset was being approachable. But now, it was difficult. She didn't seem as trustworthy or bubbly. She felt older, wiser still. Hopefully she could fake it enough to keep herself in the game.

She was back at the bar, ordering herself a drink to keep her light. Just as she took her first sip another girl slipped in beside her, whispering in her ear she heard it through the grapevine Natalie might have something she needed. Word was already going fast, hopefully it wouldn't get her in trouble. But the second Natalie would hear about it she'd leave. For now, she took the place of the nights drug dealer, exchanging information and narcotics to anyone who would need it. And plenty seemed to need it.

Friday had to have been her lucky day, in no time she was making more money than the past three days combined. As she stuffed another fifty in her bag a guy who looked slightly younger than her approached. He was tall and handsome, almost a model type if he didn't have that goofy way about him. He tried to play it off though, seem smooth and comfortable, “You're pretty popular here.”

She smiled a little, she recognized him before he approached. Some movie came out recently with him as the love interest. It was a smash hit and a damn surprise he was in public at all. Maybe it was because it was dark, or he 'cleverly' disguised himself with a hat and glasses like any clichée would. “Not as popular as you.”

He looked a little flustered at that, surprisingly looking disappointed his master disguise failed him, he spoke quickly then, “Yeah, well, we're not talking about me. Can I get you another drink?”

She glanced at the glass in her hand, which was nothing but ice by then, “I'd love one.”

He nodded acknowledgment, making is way to the bar to get her drink. She had no clue what his game was. He seemed too on the straight and narrow for drugs, and she couldn't imagine him being actually interested in her. She kept her caution to herself as he approached again with her drink in hand.

When she took it from him and thanked him, he extended his hand to her, “Will.”

She already knew that, but took his hand and shook it, “Natalie. Nice to meet you. What're you doing in a place like this?”

He glanced around the room around them, “What you're doing, I assume.”

Natalie grinned and raised an eyebrow at him, “Selling drugs and talking to a celebrity?”

Will was taken aback by that, “Well... no, I guess we're not doing the same thing.”

Nat laughed, for someone who was in constant limelight, he sure did seem like the nervous type. If he was interested in speaking to her, she wasn't going to deny him. Will was pleasant enough company, and if she got buddy-buddy with him, it could help her 'career' even more. She grabbed his upper arm and pulled him away from a bar and to a quieter location off to the side, “Come on, I want to get to know you better.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm finally on medication which helped me make this chapter, its a short one but the next will be a big one, promise

Chapter 32

Trevor was at a loss of what to do. Natalie was somewhere down in Los Santos and had no intention of being found. She was so god damn frustrating sometimes, but that was probably her intention by now.

What he had been doing wasn't working, he had to figure out a plan B. He looked out to his lawn, circled with bright flowers planted and tended to by Patricia every week. That was his first problem; Patricia. If he wanted Natalie anywhere near him, she'd have to go. He didn't like the idea, but there wasn't another choice.

He was surprised to see he was willing to let Patricia go. She had been what he wanted for so long. But even as she visited, she wasn't really his still. She'd always go back to Martin no matter what. Natalie had promised to stay, and he threw it away, his fear of moving on was just getting too difficult for him.

Trevor took out his phone, his thumb hovering over Patricia's number as he tried to will himself to press it. He was interrupted when Ron's voice came back from the trailer, “B-boss!” He stuffed his phone back in his pocket and entered his home, finding his lackey huddled by his TV set, “Look at this!”

Trev shoved him aside to find one of those celebrity gossip TV shows on. They were enthusing about some young movie star and his new love interest. It was the same thing they talked about every day and basically useless. Except today when instead of a nameless young fan at this guys arm, it was Natalie.

There was a silence that fell in the trailer, the calm before the storm. If she had really moved on this meant it was over. He had lost. This guy, this Will guy, was the real deal. And as footage of them enjoying a day together rolled, it looked like she was happy. Happy without him.

Ron watched his boss carefully, seeing just how he would explode. He took a step back to prepare, his hands slowly going up to defend himself if needed. But he was surprised when Trevor simply turned, and left the trailer with the TV still playing as he departed. This might have been worse than him blowing up. Ron swallowed the lump in his throat, he wanted to follow, but didn't. He had to just wait and watch for the time being.

–

Will was nice enough, but the attention he got was kind've annoying. She tried to ignore it, that's what he told her to do at least. But when people were circling this close, it was hard to just blow past it. She found sanctuary at his apartment. An upscale building that overlooked the city.

Will had the humble look to him, he was quiet and kind, and winced away from the fame his career presented. But his home looked the opposite. Beautiful, definitely, and more expensive than anything she could imagine affording. It was immaculate and white, a spacious condo overlooking the better side of Los Santos. She rested on the couch, Will sitting down beside her. He smiled nervously to her, “Sorry, I didn't think it'd be this bad today.”

She shrugged, even if it did frustrate her, there wasn't much he could've done about it. She was just glad to be alone with him now. They had been dating for two weeks now and it had been good so far. Despite the popularity he caused, her work was not messed with. In fact, she was turning into somewhat of a mogul. The friends Will had were interested in her and what she had to sell. Although he wasn't a user himself, he didn't mind that she touched on his connections, something that would bother anyone else.

“It's okay.” She insisted, she scooted closer to him and rested a hand on his knee. They hadn't slept together yet, which was a record for her. They hadn't so much as kissed a handful of times. Their attraction was easy, while there was no heat or passion, she felt happy enough, happy and safe. Unfortunately, this was all a distraction from who she still felt love for.

She realised it again a week ago. Her and Will enjoyed the rare quiet moment together at a restaurant out of the way. His hand went to hers, gently locking fingers together as they ate their dinners. When Natalie had looked to the hand that took hers, she was surprised to see it was without a scar, or a brash 'fuck' scarred onto it's fingers.

She had thought and wished it to be Trevor's, but it wasn't, and the small pang in her chest told her all she needed to know. Will was a distraction, something to tide her over until she got over who she really wanted even after all this time. Even now, with her hand on his lap, it didn't feel natural. She did it because it was the thing to do when you were smitten, it was a shame she wasn't. Nat hoped one day that wouldn't be the case, that she could learn to fall for such a nice, normal man. But it wouldn't be soon. She hated how she used him, but it didn't stop her.

“You said there wasn't something coming up this weekend right?” Nat continued when Will's hand laid on top of hers. She thought for a second this would be the moment they would finally sleep together, but when he did nothing, she forgot about it, “Something about a party?”

Will rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, “Yeah, more like a ball I guess. My agent said it would be good for me. You don't have to go if you don't want to, I understand.”

“No, no. I'll go.” She squeezed his hand, trying to reassure him. And it seemed to work as he took a soft sigh, “I know you hate those things.”

“I do.” Will admitted, “We wouldn't be there long. Just enough time to meet to people my agent wants me to meet, then we can do whatever you want, I promise.”

She couldn't help but laugh. As much as he hated the idea of going out in public, she didn't mind as much. She knew business would be good and people didn't frighten her quite like they did Will. She kissed his sweetly, a small peck on his mouth. It would mark the times they've kissed to ten, “I'll be fine, I promise.”


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

It was a Friday night and Natalie was going out.

She had promised Will that she'd keep him company while he mingled and schmoozed with Vinewood's best, all in the hopes for more movie work for him. She would essentially just be arm candy and someone to talk to when he couldn't stand anyone else for the night. Which she didn't mind being, in fact, she was happy to go out to something like this.

In a way, Will was like Trevor, unable to tolerate the fake glitz and glamour. Unfortunately, she thought with a heavy sigh, Will wasn't amu more like Trevor. No wait, it was good he wasn't like Trevor. Trevor didn't care about her and Will did. She had to remind herself that.

She looked down at a cream colored dress in a fancy box in front of her set up on her bed. It was short, to her knees, and strapless. It looked more fit for a flower girl at a wedding or a cupcake than for the girlfriend of the most famous man in Vinewood. But that's what happens when said man picks out the clothes for the night. She knew he meant well, so she didn't hate what she had to wear, and felt happy enough to put it on and get ready for the night.

Getting ready involved pulling her hair up into something that took too long to look perfectly messy, but her makeup was simple. This was the first time she would be properly standing among starlets, and no amount of makeup she could possibly work with would allow her to stand up to the levels they were at. So she opted for the 'be yourself' route, and it looked nice enough. It was nice enough of Will to not ask too much of her, but that's how he was, understanding, caring, why couldn't she feel butterflies in her stomach? 

Her phone buzzed on her end table were it sat charging. She reached for it while she smoothed down the skirt of her dress, it was Will. Telling her he'd arrive soon. She felt a small, excited sensation in her gut. She had a feeling it would be a good night, and by the way Will was treating her all day, this might be the night they'd actually sleep together. That was definitely something she could look forward to. She wondered what kind of lover her was, likely gentle, likely very vanilla. That was fine, she could learn to like that. She hadn't been with anyone since before she went to prison. And between prison, working back at the Yellow Jack, moving, her new job, and especially Trevor, there was a lot of pent up frustrations she could stand to release.

There was a knock on the front door of her apartment before Will let himself in like she instructed him to do. While she looked a bit like a girl on her sweet sixteen he certainly looked amazing. A black tux that was customary to these kind of things, but he wore it very well, his hair which was usually so wildly, beautifully curly was slicked into something that reminded her of a man from the 50s. He still had on a pair of thick rimmed glasses that still somehow pulled the entire outfit together.

He would look so suave and confident if his face didn't seek so hard for her approval. Natalie couldn't help but smile at how endearing he was, she closed the space between them and kissed him, “You look fantastic.”

“I could say the same to you.” He replied, sounding almost laughable, but she didn't laugh, only kiss him again heady this time. A blush spread across Will's face at that, but it certainly gave him the confidence boost he needed for the nights events, and maybe what would happen after those events.

“Come on.” She insisted, with a tug of his hand out the door, “We shouldn't be late.”

-

Trevor had been on her mind more than she would've liked today. In fact, thoughts of him seemed to be bugging her since her and Will had been together. He didn't need to be following her around anymore since her mind was doing the trick. She missed him, and hated to admit it. Even when he was around when she demanded he stay away, she still kind've liked it. Nat still loved him, and she missed everything about him, even Ron and Wade she had a certain ache for. But that was in the past and Trevor made his bed, she had to move on, especially now that she was in Los Santos, a place where she hadn't heard from him in a good while.

She was sure if he wanted to find her he could, he found Michael after ten years of thinking him dead and she was right on TV with her new boyfriend. And he had operations in Los Santos now too, but she made it a point to avoid the Unicorn. Still, if he tried hard enough she'd be easy to find, Nat wondered if he was done chasing. Something in her made her feel bad, liked she finally mucked up something she'd maybe not meant to screw up in the first place.

A life without Trevor around seemed wrong to her, but there was nothing she could do now. She had an amazing boyfriend, someone who could show her a future that didn't involve guns, drugs and certain death.

Unfortunately with half a pound of coke stashed in her evening purse, where only most of it was for her clients meant she still wanted Trevor's future. Gunmetal smelled amazing when it was hot, and the memory of the taste of coke on the back of her throat was nearly enough to make her toes curl. Will would have to fit in this equation somehow, he had fit well for the time being. But as far as her selling drugs, he only knew the absolute basics. Meaning, she sold them, and may or may not have taken some too. Will seemed to be happy with that, but if they got any farther she was afraid he wouldn't like it, or even worse, end up like her ex-boyfriend Avery, dead in the ground for her own good. She didn't want to think about that now.

-

Will and Natalie arrived fashionably late to the party. It was already looking like another night to remember for the two of them. However, when the wine was handed to the two of them the second they entered, a wine that was definitely more expensive than her apartment, it seemed maybe the night wouldn't be so memorable.

Will's hand wrapped tighter around hers, looking calm and collected, but she knew he was nervous about this. For something he hated so much, he needed this night. He had to get more work before he was pigeonholed into one movie role, and you could only stay a teen heart-throb for so long. Natalie was just along for the ride for the time being.

The night evolved into something productive. When Nat had some time to herself she was able to sell was she had available, and even saved a bit for herself to help her keep happy for Will for the remainder of the night. She knew now tonight they would sleep together, there had been heavy flirting and it was all but said between the two. Natalie was excited at first, she felt tipsy and high enough to feel on top of the world. But there was an inkling in her head telling her this was all wrong.

She was using him for this, and he was too good a person for that. Natalie had no true feelings for him, of course she cared for him, but she only did as a friend. When she looked at her future, she didn't see him. When she asked herself who she wanted that future to be, it wasn't him. Sleeping with him tonight would just be another way to keep her mind off Trevor. It would just be another nail on the coffin of screwing Will over in the end.

Natalie would have to tell him. She couldn't go on with this and keep her intentions with him hidden. He wouldn't be happy or understand, and she knew that. She was an ass, and she had to write her wrongs.

As the party started to wind down, Natalie found herself more and more nervous to tell him. The last thing she needed was another person against her. She had lost her parents and her best friend, Trevor too. The only people she could imagine still at her corner was her brother and Janet. Maybe he would respect her honesty. Their relationship was still fairly young, maybe if she could break it off early they could still remain friends.

She gently grabbed a hold of his hand again as he was talking with a young producer she didn't recognise, “Can we go soon?”

He turned to her briefly and looked relieved to see her. She must have been longer than she thought, “No problem.” Will excused himself from the conversation, practically dragging her away. He made it outside and to the car waiting for them on the curb. He looked more fidgety than usual. Perhaps nervous about what the night might end up at.

When they pulled away into traffic is when she began to speak, “I... well, I need to tell you something. I should've been honest with you sooner.”

Will hand suddenly touched her bare knee, interrupting her train of thought, “No, I'm sorry. I have a confession too.”

She was a little taken aback by that. What could he possibly keep secret? Will was a mild guy, what dark secrets could he possibly hide? Maybe he was a serial killer type, “A confession?”

He nodded and removed his hand from her lap, fidgeting with his hands instead and not entirely looking at her. Christ, this must be important then. “I really should've let you know sooner, and I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry.”

Natalie was suspicious now, looking at him warily. “What is it, Will?”

Will took a deep breath, that went back out shaky. Then there was another breath. Any more and he would start hyperventilating, and the last thing she needed was her date in a panic attack, “Will.” Natalie repeated, sternly this time.

That seemed to shake him to reality, and after a long glance at their driver Will finally found the gall to speak up, “Natalie, I'm uh... gay.”

She paused for a second, before scoffing, she couldn't believe this, “Wait, you're gay?”

He looked back at her, “I'm sorry. I didn't want anyone to know so I thought dating a girl would keep any rumors away. I should'nt have done that to you. You deserved to know. I understand if you hate me.”

Natalie the entire time she had known Will wouldn't have ever pegged him as someone who was gay. Sure he was definitely nervous around her, but she didn't think it was because of that. She wondered what the flirting earlier had to do with anything. Then she remembered she was still high, and a bit drunk at that. The poor guy was just himself, and she was trying to drag him to bed.

She found herself laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Here he was telling her that she had just been his beard these past few weeks, just something to distract himself for who he really wanting, just like her. Will had been using him just like he was doing with her. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad. She saw that Will was looking at her like she lost her mind. And when she finally calmed down she relaxed in her seat, “You're making this a lot easier for me, y'know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a trevor-less chapter but he will be showing up the next time


End file.
